Well hello Friday.  So glad you finally made it.

For being only a four day school week, it seems like this week dragged on and on.  Traffic was horrible everyday.  I have to take Mark to school and it is usually a 40 minute round trip.  Not this week.   Lots of accidents, clueless drivers and just back ups more than usual.  It didn't help that the temps finally dropped here so it was hard to get out of my nice warm bed.  But, I won't complain too much because I know it's much colder elsewhere.

Elizabeth (my oldest) is a writer for the Tampa Tribune.  She is the crimes reporter.  We woke up yesterday to the saddest situation that happened overnight. I know it made national news.  A dad threw his five year old off a bridge into the Tampa Bay.  The whole situation makes me sick to my stomach.  I  knew that Liz would have to cover this story.  It's her job. She called me last night on her way home from work.  I could tell in her voice it was a tough day.  She said she had interviewed Phoebe's mom.  I didn't pry or  ask any details.  She said she just needed to go home and have a glass of wine.  I didn't even know this little girl but I feel her loss.  Such a senseless act.  I feel for the policeman that witnessed this and could do nothing and the search and rescue team that had the grueling task of finding her.  I pray that they can recover from this.  Emily (my 20 year old) is studying behavioral sciences/psychology in college.   These are the kinds of situations that she may be having to deal with in the future. I pray that she will be able to make a difference and be the one to save that life.

Sunday, Elizabeth and I will going to our first Bridal Expo on Sunday.  I cannot tell you how excited I am.  So far only the church, reception venue and photographer have been booked.  All of her friends have done the wedding and reception at the country club.  She wants to do something different for her reception.  The place we booked is a little garden club on the Hillsborough River overlooking downtown.  So cute. So quaint.  A blank slate so we are excited to get lots of ideas this weekend.

I have spent the last several days going through my craft space.  Lots of pitching going on.  I was going to post a picture, but I am totally embarrassed.  It kills me to get rid of stuff but I know I haven't used it and probably not sure when I will.  So, I am taking the donate approach and start new.  It feels kind of good.   I saw this quote recently and I think I want to put it on a canvas and hang in my room. I've never made a canvas before but I have a brand new silhouette cameo that just might make this happen.

Happy Friday everybody!  Make it a good one.

I'm back! Not sure if anyone still checks in on this blog since I pretty much gave up on it.  But, I am trying to revive it and get back into it.  I am trying to keep the tv off and be more productive.  Since my last blog post, I have joined the technological age.  I am the proud owner of an I-phone, I set up a twitter account, and I am also on Instagram!  Yeah me.

I'm still working for the amazing Beth Kingston.  I meet up with her at HSN when she comes to town and goes on air.  I pretty much do whatever she wants me to do.  I love it! I also help out Andrew Hiller when he comes to town.  I get to see so much cool stuff.  I have also been able to see some of the most amazing people in the business....Lisa Bearnson, Holly Fossen, Theresa Collins (who is my absolute favorite designer).  I even saw Martha Stewart in the hallway once.  I had a lovely conversation with Rupert (from Survivor) when he was there with his tie dye shirts.

This picture was taken in the wee hours of the morning.  He was such a nice guy.   Very friendly and talkative.  That's Beth Kingston (the Xyron lady)!  She's very cool and uber talented.

I really want to rededicate myself to scrapbooking and crafting.  Over the years that has been put aside raising 4 kids!  Now they are older so I really want to get back into it.  I love to scrapbook and craft.  I even dabble in stamping and geneaology!

Oh yeah.  BIG NEWS!  Liz is getting married!  After three years together, Adam popped the question.  It was so exciting and I was so happy he let us be in on it.  He took her out on a boat and proposed at sunset.  When they came back in, we were all waiting on the docks.  I couldn't be more happy for them and she will be marrying into a great family.  Wedding date is set for January 16, 2016.

How cute are they?

Mark has settled in nicely at his new school.  It's very challenging for him but we all love it.  He ran on their cross country team in the Fall and is in the school production of  The Music Man in March and track will start in February.  I can't believe that he will be starting high school this Fall.  YIKES.  Time is flying by.

I hope to keep up with this blog and post some of the pages I have created and crafts that I hope to finish.  

I hope everyone has a great new year!

Until next time......

Don't forget to tune in to HSN tonight starting at midnight for 24 hours of scrapbooking and crafting!  24 hours!!!!!!  How awesome is this?   I'll be watching, how about you?  Some of the amazing people scheduled to be on are Beth Kingston, Andrew Hiller, Anna Griffin, Teresa Collins, Holly Fossen,  Leslie Bracken, Julie Fei Fen Balzer, and Lisa Bearnson,  You can also check out the HSN website for a breakdown of times.  Can't wait.

Under Construction

Bare with me.  As you can see, I am switching up my blog. It's been so long since I set it up, I have totally forgotten how to edit it.  So, it may take me awhile.  I want to make this into a more "crafty" blog and hope to share what I have been doing.  Now that the kids are older, I just don't have much to share.  They are all so busy now being grown ups.

I have lots to update.  I got a job and it involves scrapbooking and crafting.  I will spill more of the details soon but let me just say I am meeting some awesome people in the business.

I promise to share soon.

Kim

Happy 2014!

I cannot believe that I have not updated my blog since September 11th!  Can I just say how much I have missed blogging. I don't even know if people read this blog, but I enjoy doing it.

Lots going on since I last updated.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love everything about it.  The food, the smells, the colors.  You get what I am trying to say.  All four kids were here. Greg's roommate came for the day as well.  I am counting down the months until the next Thanksgiving.

Christmas was awesome as well.  Again all four kids were here and we went to mass on Christmas Eve.  Even Adam and Ej (the boyfriends) came along.  The kids (and the boyfriends) drew names so we started off exchanging those gifts.  It was so nice to have them all here.  Greg and Liz actually spent the night.  We all slept in on Christmas morning and didn't get started until almost 9 am.  That's a record for us.  Even Mark didn't wake up early.    Santa was especially good to me this year.  Tickets to see Jersey Boys in April and a new Silhouette.  I am ashamed to say I haven't played with it yet.  I am still sorting/purging my scrapbook space.  But I will!

(our annual trip to Mickey's Christmas Party at Disney World)

Not sure if I have mentioned this or not, but Liz moved out back over the summer. It was weird.  She works for the local newspaper which is located downtown and it was such a far commute.  So she moved closer to downtown.  She has a cute little place.  Greg moved out as well.  He lives down by the university with four roommates.  He still comes by alot since he works very close.  He will graduate in May!  Can  you believe it?  Right now he is interning at a physical therapy gym.  He plans on applying to grad school and continue on become a physical therapist.  Right now he is graduating with a degree in Exercise Science.  Emily is in her second year at USF. I honestly don't know what she is majoring in.......she is constantly changing her mind.  Mark is plugging along.  Still in his same school.  This time next year we will be touring high schools to see what will be the best fit for him.  Right now he is in a very small Christian school.  There are only nine kids in his class.  It's great for now but I want him to have just a bigger high school setting.  He still loves running.  I just signed him up for his second 5K race...Gasparilla.  Big race here in town.  He will be running with my neighbor.  Since he isn't into sports, this is perfect for him.

I hope to stay with this blog.  I really miss it.  I miss reading other's blogs as well. I started out this year hoping to do Project Life.  I bought the kit last year and didn't last but two months. I have already gotten behind this year so I am hoping to catch up and do it.  Maybe this will be my motivation.

So, until I blog again.  Have a good one

Kim

I will never forget!  Today marks the 12th anniversary of the September 11 attack on our country.  Twelve years later, I still am in disbelief that this happened to our great nation.  This will be one of those moments I will forever remember what I was doing when this happened.

We were living in Utah at the time so we were two hours behind.  Mark was fifteen months old.  That night he decided to be "up all night" along with myself.  He had always been a good sleeper but for some reason, he wasn't that night.   I remember just being exhausted. I finally got him back to bed (a little after 7 am).  Steve got up and just left the house without a word.   We still had no clue what was going on.  I remember being angry with him.  He didn't even say goodbye.  I flipped on the kitchen tv and I saw this unfolding live.  I was watching Katie Couric.  I was just standing there stunned when I saw LIVE the second plane hit the tower.  Just then, the front door opened and Steve walked in.  He handed me a Starbucks coffee.  He said, "I knew you had a rough night so I thought you could use a good cup of coffee".  He then asked me what was wrong and I told him.  We stood there watching the tv. Stunned.  The older kids were still sleeping.  I didn't know what to do.  Do I send them to school?  What?  Nothing like this has ever happened in my lifetime.  The decision was made to send them to school and Steve went off to work.  Did I fell stupid being so mad at him.  Unfortunately, I had to wake Mark up a little after 8 to drive the older kids off to school.  I  was glued to the tv.  Then the pentagon happend, then the plane in Pennsylvania.  I just sat and cried.  Over the next week, I was glued to the tv coverage.  One moment that stands out for me is when Ashley Banfield was reporting.  She was standing by a wall where people were posting pictures of their loved ones that were missing.  I can't remember if this person was missing or among the lost, but she came across the name of one of her friends and she just started to cry during her live  report.  So sad.  By the way,  after that sleepless night, Mark never had a rough night again.  Twelve years later, he sleeps like a rock!

We were living in Sandy at the time.  On the one year anniversary, Sandy City Hall had a memorial.  As far as I know, they still do it to this day.  I think they call it the Healing Place.  On their front lawn, they place a flag for every person lost that day and a flag representing all the countries who lost someone.  Mark was obsessed with flags so we went down there.  It was beautiful to see.  Very somber.  Of course, Mark loved all the flags.

  It was very somber standing there. It was windy that day so we just stood there watching and listening to them.

My little guy was just mesmerized by all the flags.  

Last summer, Steve and I went to New York for our anniversary and we visited the memorial.  It was so hard to stand there at the site knowing that so many lives were lost that day.  We must NEVER forget.

God Bless America.

So I know it's been forever since I blogged. I swore this would be the year I stayed on top of it.  As usual, life gets busy and the blog takes a back seat.  I've been taking lots of pictures though to put it my blog.  First thing I will share (soon) is the bridal shower album I did for my daughter's friend.  I was so happy with how it turned out and it really challenged my creativity.  She loved it!  She scrapbooks some herself so she really appreciated the effort and knows what it takes to put your heart into creating layouts.  During all this, I had to breakdown and get a new computer.  So, I am the proud new owner of a laptop which I am still learning how to use.  It's totally different than my desk tops I have used in the past.

My heart is broken tonight for the total devastation that has happened in Oklahoma.  I had to turn the tv off tonight because I just couldn't handle it anymore.  As a parent, I cannot fathom what those parents are going through.  You think school is a safe place.  That's all I can say about this because I will lose it.  I just want all my kiddoes home so I can give them a big hug and tell them how much I love them.

Jodie Arias.  Yes I got sucked into watching that trial.  I am very happy with the verdict.  The jury in Arizona got it right unlike a jury here in Florida a few years ago.  I won't go into that one either.  I don't know what I am going to do when it is all over.  I love watching all my HLN people give their commentaries.  I love Vinnie, Ryan and Joey Jackson.  I enjoy Jane Velez-Mitchell and even Nancy Grace.

Mark is finished with school this week.  He has one more full day tomorrow and early release on Wednesday and Thursday. He is going to drive me nuts being home all summer but at the same time, I will NOT miss that commute to his school.

Speaking of being finished, one more night of Dancing With the Stars.  Yes, I am one of those.  I have watched every season since it began.  I am so hoping that Kellie and Derek win. I love them together.  Can she be any cuter?

I think Zendaya is overrated and I feel like the judges really want her to win.  Ali and Mark are okay but all their dances look the same.  Jacobi and Karina are fun but I don't think he is the best dancer.  He certainly is a great entertainer though.

I  could keep going with everything I have been up to but I will save it for another time.  My bed is calling me.  I am just waiting for Emily to get home.  She finally got her car and is driving herself around (okay, so it's three years later) but I am a worrier.  Once I see those headlights in the drive, I can shut this down and call it a night.  I hope that when I wake up and turn on the tv tomorrow, there will be some good stories coming out of Oklahoma.  We need some good stories and some good news from out of there.  

Good night.

Happy New Year!!!!

Another year has come and gone.  I love the month of January.  It's a fresh start, a new beginning.  Every year I set a goal and by Spring, I have forgotten all about it.  I start of strong and then get lazy.  Every year I tell myself that this will be the year I follow through.  Well, guess what?  This is the year I will follow through.  

So, to start off the new year, I am doing something I have always wanted to do. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to scrapbook.  I love to take pictures.  I love to lock myself away in my little room in my house and watch some sappy Lifetime movie and get creative.  I have always wanted to do the Project Life by Becky Higgins.  Every year I talk myself out of it because I don't want to make the investment and then not do it.  So, last week I ordered the kit. Maybe this will be the thing that keeps me on track for my goals for 2013. I even chose my word for the year.  Blossom.  I want to grow (which was my other word) and improve.  I want to be a better wife, mother, friend, scrapbooker and of course blogger.  I could go on and on.  2012 was a huge year of change for me. Liz graduated from college!  Emily graduated from high school and Mark started middle school.  Greg?  Well he just goes with the flow  College life agrees with him.  He's my easy kid.  Point is, my kids are growing up and they don't need me 24/7 like they used to.  They have become adults.  I find myself  for the first time in years, having time to myself.   I am only 45.  I have lots of living and catching up to do.  So this is MY year. My year to blossom.

Mark is having a wonderful year in his new school.  What a change.  Although I miss the convenience of the local school and putting him on the bus, it is so worth the commute to his school.  Ready for this?  He made the honor roll the first quarter.  Unbelievable.  I have always known he was capable of it but he just needed the right tools (and teachers) to get through to him.  Having a kid with a learning disability was new to me.  I felt lost and no one knew what we were going through.  Our public schools just didn't work for him.  I love that he is in a small class, only 11 kids.  I love that they learn about the Bible in school and say prayers.

So, I look forward to 2013.  First thing on my list is to take down the tree and all the decorations.  I love that feeling of seeing everything put away and clean.  My motto every year is "out with the old, and in with the new".  I tell the kids that for every new piece of clothing that comes in, one must go out. The donation box is growing.   I love it!  Here's to a new year, a new beginning.  Happy 2013!

Greetings blogger friends.  It's been a long time.

Life has been absolutely crazy.  Liz graduated from the University of Florida,  Emily graduated High School, Mark finished elementary school, and Greg, well he's just plugging away at USF.  He got accepted into the College of Exercise Science which he was working very hard to achieve.  He also just today got his NASM certification.  Not exactly sure what it stands. He is currently working as a personal trainer and it has to do with that.  Obviously you can tell I am not up on personal training.  I guess now that I have one in the family,  I should maybe start training.

Steve and I managed a trip to New York City in July.  We were celebrating our 25th Wedding anniversary.  It's not until October, but we decided to take our trip in the summer before Mark started school.  We had a blast!  Neither one of us had ever been so that made it even more fun exploring somewhere we had never been.  I loved it! I can't wait to go back someday.  We saw  the sights (Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building,  the 911 memorial site, Rockefeller Center).  We stayed in Times Square which was CRAZY full of people.  We even managed two shows....Jersey Boys and Phantom of the Opera.  Such great shows.

Here we are in Central Park

Mark starts school next Monday already.  Middle School!  Hard to believe.  It was really weird getting all the back to school stuff and only having to get it for one kid.  I am done to one school for the first time in YEARS.  I've always had the kids in different schools and on different schedules.  It's kind of sad.  It's been an adjustment not being needed all the time.  I know the kids will always need me, but now they are self-sufficient.  I know it sounds weird but I do miss it.    Usually dinner consists of just Mark and me.  Steve gets home later and the kids are all gone out or working.  I never know if they will be home for dinner or not.  

Finally, I got a job.  I am a scrapbook/Paper-ed instructor for Michaels.  It's started off slow.  It's hard to build classes and get people in but maybe now that school will be starting soon, I can be a tad more busier.  It's been fun and I have learned so much from the training.  I've been trying hard to make more time for my scrapbooks.  I have always loved creating them and over the last few years, I just haven't spent as much time on them as I'd like because of all the craziness with the kids.  So, I've decided to make that a top priority.  I am in the process of creating a new blog in addition to this one so I can post some of my layouts.  I am hoping to get a bit more creative by doing it and hosting some challenges and swaps.  I used to be in a group on the old AOL boards and we would do all kinds of swaps and fun stuff. I really miss that and hope to start again soon.  I will keep you posted as soon as the new blog is up and running.  

I am going to end this post with some random pictures and I am going to do much better at updating this blog.  I miss blogging.  I've tried to keep up with all my friends blogs but Facebook has pretty much taken over. I'm actually getting kind of bored with FB. It's great to keep up with all my old friends and family, but I miss my blog buddies.

Anyway, have a great Tuesday.  Hope it's a good one.

 Yes!  She did it.  It was down to the wire, but she's done with High School

 Here's the little man all decked out for his 5th Grade Celebration.  So handsome.

Prom.  She was beautiful.

Our college graduate.  Go Gators!

Oops, guess I really need to get some pictures of Greg.  He's not one to get his picture taken.  He's the one who always disappears when the camera comes out.  Guess I need to work on that!  

Well, hello there blogger world! What's up?

I can't believe I haven't blogged in MONTHS. I have no excuses. My life really is a highway.

I have lots to update (which is why I haven't blogged). First, Liz is home from UF. She moved back home in December, for good (well for awhile anyway). She got an internship with the Tampa Bay times her last semester. She's a business writer. Best of all she's getting paid to write! Everything she has worked hard for is finally paying off. She's interned for the past few summers, but they have all been unpaid. I am so excited that she is getting paid to write! She has loved writing stories ever since she learned how to write. I am so glad I saved all her "stories" from when she was young. She was a writer on the middle school paper and was a write and Editor in Chief of the high school paper. She continued that all the way through college and even became Editor in Chief of The Independent Florida Alligator at UF. Words cannot describe how proud we are. She will become a college graduate on May 6th. YIKES.

Greg is doing AWESOME at USF. He's in his second year working on a degree in Exercise Sciences. He is currently working as a personal trainer. He's also working on a certification for being a personal trainer on his own in addition to this class load. Again. so proud. Now if he only had the extra time to get his mom in shape. :)

Emily graduates on June 5th. I will have ANOTHER high school graduate! I'm too young to have my kids so grown up. She got accepted into USF as well but unfortunately not until the Spring session in 2013. So, she was really sad but hey, she got in. She is going to do her first semester at the community college and then transfer over the 2nd semester. So proud of her. She has the worst case of "senioritis" since school started so it's been a long school year trying to keep her on track. Too many changes at the school and it's just not the same. I will not be sad to be finished with the high school. After 8 years, it's time to say goodbye.

We found a middle school for Mark!!!!! Yeah. That is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. The public school system hasn't worked for him. They are so focused on their stupid FCAT scores. I've never been quiet about how I fell about that. So, we've decided to go private. It's going to be tough with 2 in college and then him in private, but we all do what we have to for our kids. If I have to eat top ramen, I will. It's very hard as a parent to see your child struggle. It's hard when you hear the parents of the "smart" kids complain about the "not as smart" kids. Everything is such a competition these days. Regardless if they are at the top of the class or the bottom of the class, they are all kids and they just learn different. I've been blessed to have some great teachers who recognize that. Sadly, it came a little too late for him with his previous school, but he seems to be on track now. He is really excited about this new school and that it won't be as near as big. I feel really good about this.

Steve and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in October. Hard to believe. So we are planning a nice trip just the two of us. Something we have never done before. Seems like whenever we celebrated a milestone anniversary, we were always moving. So, we are hoping to go on an Alaskan cruise. If that doesn't work out, then I would love to go to New York City. Never been there. I would love to go see show on Broadway and take a stroll through Central Park. I'll keep you posted on what we decide.

I promise not to disappear again for months. I have more news to hopefully share soon. Don't want to jinx it if it doesn't work out.

Happy Thursday!

Here I am! Yes, I am still alive and well. Just took a little break from blogging because it seemed like I always had the same thing to say. So, now having taken a break, I have some new stuff to share.

All is well here in our house. I got the kids all settled back in school. Elizabeth is a senior, yes a SENIOR, in college. I still can't believe how fast the time went by. She is Editor-in-Chief right now at the Independent Florida Alligator (the University of Florida's newspaper). So, she is busy, busy, busy. She's still involved in her sorority as well. This year she chose to live off campus in an apartment with three other gals. Her apartment is so cute and I love her new roommates. This is going to be her best year yet!

Greg is loving college. He's still at the USF. He now is also working as a personal trainer. He's doing what he loves. He's even talking about going for his Master's. Right now he's trying to figure out how to get one of his certifications as a trainer in addition to a full course load. But, I know that he will figure it out.

Emily is a senior in high school. Can you believe it??? I can't. Her school year started off to a not so great start. If you followed the national news about a kid who wanted to shoot up a school and it be "bigger than Columbine", that was her school I was so sad for her that that is how her final year of high school will be remembered. On our back to school night right before school started, we were walking around the school with lots of cops on the campus. On their first day, it was full of media and even the helicopter was circling. They had bomb sniffing dogs do a sweep of the school that morning. When I first read the article, I thought maybe the kid was all talk and just wanting attention. I almost felt sorry for him. But they released more information last week and he was serious. He will be tried as an adult and I hope they throw the book at him. I can't say enough about how the school handled the situation. The first day went off with no problem and then we got another phone call. Apparently a teacher (who wasn't working at the school anymore) was arrested for having "an inappropriate relationship" with a student. So, the media and their camera's were back. The situation happened the previous year but for some reason, they like to make an example of our school. We are finally in a routine now and hopefully we will finish the school year without any further incidents.

Mark is in the 5th grade. He pointed out to me several weeks ago that I have "three seniors". A senior in college, high school and elementary school. haha. So far he is doing great. Moving him last year to a new school and repeating the 4th grade was just what was needed. He also is on some medication now to help him "focus". I'm so proud of how hard he is trying. After the first of the year, we will be searching a middle school for him. We are definitely not sticking with the Florida Public School system for him. He is going a different route. So, I have my work cut out for me.

I'm still selling my Avon. Not making a whole lot of money but I am not losing money either. So, that's good. If you ever need any Avon, please visit my website. They have some great deals and they sell so much other stuff besides make up. www.youravon.com/kbehrman

I finally got back into my scrapbook routine. I'll be heading back up to Indiana in February for the girls weekend again. I was so excited I was asked back. That was such a great time. If anyone is in Indiana and is looking for a fun weekend away, you definitely need to check out Michelle's Memory Loft in LaPorte.

Well, that's a quick update of things going on. I'll have more to share tomorrow or the next day.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Holy smokes Batman, it's February. 2011 is already starting to fly by. Please slow down.

Two weeks from today, I will be in South Bend Indiana visiting my friend, Lisa. I met Lisa when I moved here to Tampa in 2003. Our boys were on the same baseball team. We hit it off immediately. We had so much in common. We were both from the midwest, loved scrapbooking, we were very active in our kids schools, little league was our "life", just to name a few. We live(d) in a newer community that is still "booming". There is also a "reputation" that goes along with our little community. Yes, there is a lot of fake boobs, botox and silicon here. But with Lisa and I, we didn't fit that mold. Everyone here is too busy living "above their means" with their fancy houses and cars, hitting the country club and tennis courts and running down the road in hardly nothing at all. But not Lisa and myself. Our houses were not "show pieces" that you couldn't enjoy living in. We enjoyed being mom's, carpooling and just being ourselves. Our kids were not perfect and we didn't expect perfection from them. Don't think our whole community is like this. It's just unlike anywhere I have ever lived before. I have made many nice friends here. So, when Lisa told me they were moving back to Indiana, I was devastated. In less than a month, she was gone. Thank goodness for Facebook. It's a great way to stay in touch. So, I am flying up to see here in two weeks for 5 days. Over the weekend, we are going to a scrapbooking getaway. I cannot tell you how excited I am. Unfortunately, it's very cold and still lots of snow there. This Florida gal is going to be way out of her element. This is a picture of the kitchen of where we are staying. It's called Michelle's Memory Loft in LaPorte, Indiana. I have not clue how I am going to get all my stuff there, but it's been really challenging and fun getting it all together.

Overall, life is good. Kids are keeping me busy. It's been weird this year only having to get two kids off an out in the morning. Seems like just yesterday, I was getting Liz off to kindergarten, Greg off to nursery and getting Emily all bundled up to run around. Time flies.

Kids are off school AGAIN tomorrow. It's "fair day". Needless to say, we won't be attending the fair. I'm looking forward to sleeping in. I told Mark that maybe we'd go see a movie or something.

Mark is starting to stress over the dreaded FCATs that will be here before you know it. I really hate these standardized tests. We have made the decision that once he finishes elementary school, we are pulling him out of the public schools. I have always been a big advocate of them, but I'm done. They aren't teaching him anything except FCAT, FCAT, FCAT. The kid is 10 years old (almost 11) and still has not learned cursive. It's no secret he struggles. Teach kids the basics and it will come. But not here, they are teaching them some math which they will never use in life. Even Steve and I can't help him. Teachers I have talked too don't like this math program either. It's so sad to see what he isn't learning and what my other kids learned in other states. So, I need to start researching private schools. I always joke with my hubs that you will never see anyone from Florida on teen jeopardy. They've never learned half the stuff. Okay, I'm done moaning and groaning.

Well, I'm off to volunteer in the media center at Mark's school. Hopefully, by this afternoon, the sun will come out in time for our three day weekend.

Happy New Year!

Hard to believe it's 2011. Where did 2010 go? It seemed to just "fly" by. Now I have the task of taking down all the Christmas decorations. I love looking at the Christmas tree so I procrastinate taking it down. Our first house was small that the tree pretty much came down the next day. I don't feel the need to rush taking it down now that we live in a house that has room for a tree. But, this weekend it will come down. Steve has finished his year end stuff at work so he will be home to help. Unfortunately, he worked all day New Year's Eve, New Year's day and Sunday too.

Everyone is back in school, with the exception of Greg. He starts back on Monday. It's kind of weird having the house all quiet again after all the "bodies" lying around the house watching TV. As much as it bothers me, I let it go. I don't know how many more Christmases I will have them all home together. This time next year, Liz "should" be a college graduate. She's not sure though that she wants to graduate early. I think she should and get a head start. It's going to break my heart though when she starts sending out all the resume's out of town. Now we are getting Emily going on all her college stuff. She finally registered for her SAT. Hard to believe that she is a junior and will be a senior.

With all the changes going on with the kids, I've kind of neglected "me". So that is my word for the year. Yes, it sounds selfish but for the past 20 years I've been "mom". Somewhere in there "Kim" got lost. Don't get me wrong, I have NO complaints. It's just that after all this time, I am ready for some "me time". Everyone else's needs have come first. I've let myself get lost. I put on weight and my health is not the best. My last doctor appointment, my cholesterol was up and so was my blood pressure (I'm on meds for those already). So, I left the doctors office with even more meds to take. So, in addition to "me", I am also going to use the word "no" more often. It won't hurt the kids to stay at home while I do something for myself. I cannot tell you the last time Steve and I had a date night. We are always having to pick Emily up from work and take her somewhere. Giving her her license, is not the answer. She knows that. Her grades slipped so until they go back up, she's a passenger. So, she knows what she has to do in order to achieve that. So, if I am out taking a walk, they can wait on me for a change. I know that sounds selfish, but I have to start taking care of me. I may even give running a try. I've said that in the past but have never done it. This is my year to try!

Another thing I have done is booked a trip to see my friend, Lisa, in South Bend, Indiana. She invited me up for a scrapbook weekend at a lodge at the end of Feruary. So, I'm off for a weekend of scrapbooking. Steve is fully capable of taking care of getting Mark and Emily off to school. He's all on board and told me to take as much time as I need. So, I'm leaving on a Wednesday and coming back on Monday. I love that he is so supportive of me. I know he is really worried about my health. He's always trying to remind me to take my fish oil and even got me a cookbook for Christmas and told me he would eat what I did.

So, what do you think of the new blog? I came across this website and fell in love with it. It so fits my personality. I'm still working on the header. I just can't figure out how to get the title right. But, I'm not going to give up. I still need to tweek some more stuff, but "baby steps".

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. May 2011 be a great year for everyone. Hopefully, I will do better at keeping up with this blog.

Publish Post

Happy November!

Can't believe it's only 11 days until Thanksgiving. It has just been flying by!

I've been in a Dancing with the Stars haze. After next week it will be over and I will have to wait until the next one starts. Here's my two favorites:

Do you not love this kid? His personality, his energy. I really like him. And it's so good to finally see Lacey get someone who has taken her this far. She always seems to get the "bad boys" who are their just because. The other one I like is Bristol Palin (my computer for some reason will not let me save her and Mark's picture). Yeah, I know she isn't the best dancer but how can you not root for her? What a completely different person she is since that first week. Her and Kyle are the only two that represent what the concept of the show is about. People who have had no dance experience! Jennifer Grey is okay. I'm kind of tired of her "whining". We know "she's 50". Heck, Florence was 70 something and didn't complain at all. Plus, I still think Jennifer has the advantage. You know she has had some kind of dance training. She was AWESOME as Baby. Don't get me wrong. I do like her, I just think Kyle or Bristol should win. As for Brandy, ick. She can dance...no doubt about it. I would probably like her more if she wasn't paired with Max. He's got such a chip on his shoulder. He really turned me off when he argued with Carrie Ann last week. But yet, he still got a 10. So, I truly believe they are setting this up for a "Brandy win". I hope not but I have that feeling. Did you not just love Kurt and Rick? They were so fun to watch. Again, disappointed they went home. Bristol probably should have gone home before them but she's got the fan base.

I survived another Homecoming. Hard to believe I only have one left. Emily was absolutely stunning. (Well, again I messed up the upload and it won't let me do it. I will work on that). It has something to do with the format it was saved in. I'm clueless with this stuff.

Not much else has been going on. I've just been going through stuff trying to get organized. Today I was going through my closet and I found two Christmas gifts from last year that didn't make it under the tree. Oops. I guess this means I have two done already for this year. My friend Patti is coming down the day after Thanksgiving to spend a week. I can't wait. Maybe I can talk her into helping me paint my bedroom. She is the Queen of decorating and can put a room together like no one can. Our bedroom is the only one left to finish.

This weekend, Hallmark started running their Christmas movies. Have I mentioned I love watching those? I had a two hour window tonight because the movie they are showing now, I watched last night. I'm headed to bed here soon to watch another one. This is my favorite "tv time" of the year. Tomorrow XM turns on their Christmas music. Yes, I am one of those who listens to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. It really puts me in the holiday spirit.

Well, I'm going to shut this computer down and head off to bed. Have a wonderful week. Hard to believe another new one is here. On a happy note, we only have this week, and then everyone (except Liz & Greg) are off next week. Woo Hoo.

Still here!



Can't believe it's been so long since I've updated my blog. Time just got away from me.



Kids have all gone back to school and we are finally on somewhat of a routine. Liz is doing well up at the University of Florida. She LOVES that school. She's working two jobs and taking all her classes. Can't believe how fast the time has gone by. Greg started at the University of South Florida. He's living here and home and commutes to school. It's only 15 minutes away. He's doing awesome! He was meant to be a college student. He's doing so good. Emily is my only one left at the high school. It's weird only have one at the school. She's dying to get her driver's license (she turned 16) in April but until those grades improve just ever so slightly, it will be awhile. But, she is working at it. She also got a job. It's so nice that she has her own money now. And then there is Mark. All I can say is that keeping him in the 4th grade was the best decision we have ever made in regards to his education. He likes the neighborhood school. So do I for that matter. I love that he walks to and from school and I don't even have to start that car! I am still not a big fan of the Florida school system. I think they could learn a lot from other states. I will not go into detail but I hope that sometime in the future, we can get him in a private school and not have to deal with all the BS. We go in Monday to make some changes to his IEP. That didn't take long but it needs to be done.



As for me, I am BORED out of my mind. I've put in a few job applications but of course, no one has called. I am still selling AVON. Making a few dollars but not enough since we have two kids in college. But at the same time, Mark needs me too. I do have an AVON website. If you ever need any AVON, please feel free to take a look. They have great deals and usually free shipping. The website is www.youravon.com/kbehrman



I still haven't started running. I keep using the excuse that it's been too hot. It has. Well, it's finally cooled off and I am still not doing. BUT, this morning I played tennis. I loved it! I haven't played in years. Good news is that I can still do it. I must say, we were pretty good. So, we are going to do it again. Hopefully we will keep at it several mornings a week. It was a great cardio workout.



I didn't get to spend much time this past summer scrapbooking, but I actually did a layout this week. I'm going to try and take a picture and post it. It was quick and simple. Right now I'm so many years behind, that's the kind of layouts I need to do. Plus, I'm really trying not to buy more supplies and use up what I have.



Guess I've rambled on enough so I'm going to finish this post. Next weekend is Emily's homecoming so I will have a some pictures to post next week.



Have a wonderful weekend. Make it a good one.

Happy 4th of July to all!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July. Don't forget all the service men and women who are out there fighting for us to keep our independence. God Bless America!

Still Here! Been a little busy. This is why........

Prom! Although getting a boy off to prom is much easier than a girl, I was still glad I got to be a part of it and I got invited to take pictures. He was so handsome and Brittany, his date, was gorgeous.

Emily made her Confirmation. After two years of preparation, she did it! Greg was her sponsor. Elizabeth came home from Gainesville to attend so it was a real family event. This is Abbot Isaac who officiated the mass. We celebrated afterwards at dinner at Beef O'Brady's. Love that place.

Finally, look who's a high school graduate. Yep. He did it. Can't believe my baby boy is all grown up. He celebrated his 18th birthday back in April. The time flew by these last 18 years. I couldn't be more proud of him than I am right now. So now, he's busy getting ready for college. He has orientation next month.

Mark celebrated his 10th birthday last Sunday as well. I don't have his pictures uploaded yet. I will share those on my next post.

That pretty much sums up what we've been up to. I am enjoying the summer break and am catching up on much needed sleep. I just hope time slows down a little so I can enjoy it. I am so not even ready to start thinking about school starting up again. Until then, I am just relaxing.

TGIF!!!! The weekend is almost here. Finally. Although I can't really complain. The week FLEW by. Seems like the older I get, the faster they go. Looking back, it wasn't such a bad week. I'm just glad it's Friday! Prom is tomorrow. I think I am more excited about it than Greg. All that's left to do is pick up the corsage tomorrow at noon. I broke down and took my camera card to Walgreens and just put all the pictures on a CD. That's how far behind I am on my pictures. I figured it would easier to just transfer them and look at them later and start with a fresh card with all the events coming up. It would just take me too long to upload them to my computer. I am looking forward to having things calm down after school is out.

I got a story to share. When I was growing up I loved the show Emergency. Oh I loved that Johnny Gage. I was going to grow up and marry him you know (hey I was 7 years old). We all had someone like that didn't we? Please say yes and that I am not the only one. :) Anyway, I was thrilled when our cable company aired a channel called Retro TV. It shows a lot of the shows that I loved watching growing up (Battlestar Gallactica, Black Sheep Squadron, A Team, Rockford Files, Buck Rogers, Magnum just to name a few). But best of all, it shows Emergency. Every night at 10 pm you can find me watching that show. I LOVE this show! Emily can't stand when I watch it. Yet she has never sat down and watched a whole episode. Greg on the other hand watched it with me the other night. He even had to wait till it was over to get ready to go bed. That's my boy! Anyway, Emily sat and watched it with me for the first time too. There was lots of "this is lame" and eye rolling. Finally, she says "that John guy looks like dad". What???? I never thought that but hey.....I didn't marry Johnny Gage but I married someone who looks like him according to her. So my dream did come true.

Not much else going on. I'm finishing up getting Greg's announcements done. So time consuming. I guess I could print everyone's address on the computer and print labels but to me that takes the "personal touch" out of it. I try and do a couple a day and I hope to have them all ready to mail tomorrow. I can hope.

Liz had her first story published in the newspaper she's interning for. So cool. I will try and post the link to the story in my next post. So proud of her.

Well, time to get off here because it's time to go and start rounding up the troops. Space shuttle is going up at 2:20 today so I want to be one of the first in the car pool lane so I can get Mark and we can go and park somewhere to watch it go up. It's such a cool thing to watch. I'm sad that this is one of the last launches.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Mother's day to all my mommy friends. Hope you had a wonderful, relaxing and pampered day!

Still Here........

We are winding down the school year here in our house and that means busy, busy, busy.

Liz finished at UF and was home a whole week and she moved back to Gainesville. She's doing an internship with a newspaper up there so she sub let an apartment from one of her sorority sisters for the summer. It's kind of weird knowing that she is living somewhere other than home or in her dorm room. She's also doing some stuff on "The Alligator" which is the campus newspaper. We are so proud of her.

One month from today, Greg will graduate high school. We've been trying to get all the "last minute" stuff done and get all the registration done for USF. GO BULLS! He is still working at Smoothie King. Next weekend is Prom and I am looking forward to seeing him dressed in a tux. Can't believe how fast the time has gone by. Need to get his announcements mailed out and plan for his party. I am hoping to spend Mothers Day doing that. If anyone has any fun party favor ideas for a guy, let me know. (that's a hint for Tina.....she's awesome at that stuff). I have lots of ideas for a girl, but Greg doesn't even want a party.

Emily is "getting it". She was hanging around with some "not so nice" girls and that has finally come to an end. She has met some new friends and her grades are on the way up and also her attitude is so much better. I am proud that she got herself out of the situation. A part of me just wants to blow the whistle on those girls but I know it's none of my business and they aren't my kids.

Well, we have our meeting with another school on Tuesday morning. We are definitely pulling Mark out of his current school and putting him in our neighborhood school. We are also planning on having him repeat 4th grade. I am an emotional mess and start crying just thinking about it but I know it's best for him. Luckily he has a summer birthday so it won't affect him too much. He will go from being one of the youngest to being the oldest. We haven't told him yet and don't plan on telling him until after school is out. Hopefully after Tuesday's meeting, I can get over this and start getting rid of the guilt and stress. Pray for me....I will need all the prayers I can get to get through this meeting without falling apart.

I've been scrapbooking again! I need to put up some pictures. I'm so proud that I have been going to crops again. Unfortunately, it's with some teachers and parents at Mark's current school.....I hope I still get to go when he no longer goes there. But we shall see.

Still plugging along with my Avon business. Making a few dollars. Right now there is a deal if you spend $5 online you can get free shipping. So, check out my online store. www.youravon.com/kbehrman I am loving ordering all their jewelry. I used to wear jewelry all the time but since I became a stay at home mom, I just never wore it much. So much cute stuff out there.

That's about it in my life. Looking forward to what will hopefully be a stress free summer. Have a great weekend and to all my friends, have a wonderful Mother's Day!