Kendrick Family Life and Adventures

Hello All, It has once again been a long time since I have posted a blog. Life again has gotten in the way, but I felt it was a good day to post. Since it is Thursday, I am going to post my Thankful Thursdays. Many believe that the doomsday "prediction" from the Mayans means that tomorrow will be the end of the world. There has been evidence to refute that. But in the light of the past weeks tragedy regarding the children and adults of Sandy Hook Elementary School and the way all of the negativity has been highlighted so much in the last few weeks. Positivity is needed to balance it out. I am thankful for my family. Though I have not been able to be around like I want to. They are my world and I am blessed to have them all. I am thankful for my new friendships that I have developed this year. You all have made this move here worth it. I appreciate you all. To show that there is love and compassion and positivity in this world I want to share a post I recently saw...

Hello All, I hope all is well in your life and you are abundantly blessed. It has been a long time since my last blog post and I have to say, I have missed it! Life has definitely been busy, hectic, and stressful. We are going through that time in life where it seems like, just as things are starting to look up, something else always happens to bring you back down. Similar to my post awhile back about one step forward and two steps back. I have tried to maintain my positive outlook and have succeeded for the most part. Recently, however, the stress got to me and it was not pretty...lol. We have all been to that place at one point or another. A couple weeks ago, I starting noticing that I was just not feeling the same, it was becoming harder to be positive, I did not smile or laugh as much, I was just plain tired of being a "happy" person all of the time. At the same time, though, I realized that when I did allow myself to wallow in the negative thoughts, actions, etc....

Hello All, Wow! It has been almost a whole month since I have posted anything in our blog. Life has been busy this month and I have not been able to take much time for myself to blog anything. Let's see...what is new with the Kendrick Family. Our son, Keonte, turned 12 this past week and we are blessed beyond measure that he is growing into such a responsible and kind young man. We pray we continue to raise him up to be great. Cheyanne is getting tall! She is almost as tall as her brother already and only 8! They are both looking forward to the first day of school next week and seeing their school friends again. Kevin is doing good. Looking into continuing his education and working hard. I finished the summer semester and am taking a necessary break over the fall from school. These last few months have been challenging to say the least. We are still fighting the fight and hoping to break through the fog soon. This past weekend I received news that a young man I went t...

Hello All, It is Friday! I hope you all have had a great week. I must say this week has definitely been a challenge for me. It kept getting worse in worse, especially after I resolved to embrace it and fight. (Isn't that how it goes though?) But we had a slight break in the clouds and I see a pinhole of light shining through. It is enough to renew my hope and I will continue to praise and rejoice in what I have. There is always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for! So, since I am off tonight and I have been feeling bad that the kiddos have had a rough summer and things have been stressful, I decided to pull out an old homemade playdough recipe. Up until a year ago, I made a batch or two of homemade playdough each season and colored in it seasonal colors. We have not done this in a little over a year but we always had fun doing it and I wanted to bring the kiddos some of the joy we always had doing it. You are never too old to have fun with playdough! The recipe is very...

...Life. Most people know this phrase and have had one on one experience with it. Just when your life seems to be turning around for the better something happens to knock you back. This morning I had a couple bits of news that knocked me way back and disheartened me immensely. However, I know that it can be overcome and I know that what does not kill you makes you stronger. There is treasure at the end of every tribulation. When the clouds break and the fight is over, whatever is on the other end is a reward that has been earned by sticking through and fighting. Not giving up! So do you know what I have decided to do with the one step forward and two steps back? I am going to grab it and dance with it. How many dance steps include one forward and two back? Many! Those are some of the basics of dancing. So I am going to embrace the trial I am in and dance my life's song while fighting through the tribulation, because I know there is something amazing waiting for us at the...

SUPERMOM! (or Dad) Hello All, I have not been able to blog like I have wanted to lately but I am trying to fit it in. These last 7 weeks have been a serious adjustment period and we are still having some growing pains, but that is life. As you know, I started working out of the house recently and I am a night-shifter. That in itself is a huge adjustment and I am in school as well. Juggling house, kids, work, school, and the curve balls that life seems to be throwing at us left and right lately. I was very overwhelmed and starting to not feel like my optimistic self. I happened to start working a very busy part of the year for my employer and after broken sleep and taking care of the household, school was getting the short end of the stick. If you know me, I am a perfectionist in certain areas and family, school, and work are the top 3 contenders. I have a very high GPA and ran into an issue of realizing I just could not do it. One of the classes I was taking I was just managin...

Hello All, It has been awhile since I have posted a post of substance. Life has been keeping me busy. Work has been interesting and definitely intriguing to a degree. It is amazing how life can be a repeat of the past but when you look at it from a different context/perspective it can change the whole situation. I have much to be thankful for but this post I want to focus on my husband and friends. There is a poem that I love about people coming into our lives and I will post it at the end of this. My husband - I have truly been blessed with a great man. I am thankful for all that he has done, all he is currently doing, and all he plans to do for our family. He always thinks about us before himself and makes sure that we are set before he does anything for himself. He works hard out of the home and helps in the home. He has stepped up tremendously in the house since I have been adjusting to the schedule of a night shifter and it has been such an amazing blessing. I have to in...

It's Friday! What are your plans for the weekend? Here are the movie release dates for today: Americano   Extraterrestrial  The Girl From the Naked Eye  Patang: The Kite  Rock of Ages  Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap  That's My Boy  The Tortured  The Woman in the Fifth  Your Sister's Sister  There is nothing here that really intrigues me this week. For those here at Sheppard the weekend movie list is: FRI JUNE 15 -  1830 Dark Shadows (PG-13) 113 min 2100 Think Like A Man (PG-13) 120 min   SAT JUNE 16 -   1530 Safe (R) 94 min 1800 Think Like A Man (PG-13)   2100 Dark Shadows (PG-13) I definitely want to see Think Like A Man, I may have to try to catch it for tomorrow night. Have a great weekend and enjoy your time with your loved ones.

Good Evening All, I am late, but it is still Thursday here. I hope you all have been having a great week. This week went by fairly quickly for me but I am grateful. We have several things happening right now and I am looking forward to them. So, have you all been smiling? Giving someone a compliment? Doing something for someone that cannot do for you? If you have, doesn't it make you feel good? If not, its never too late to start. Well my thankfuls for today are: Meeting new people - It is always nice to meet new people. You never know who will be in your life for just that moment or forever or somewhere in between the two. I strongly believe that everyone single person we meet is put across our paths for a reason. Whether that reason is for our or their benefit is a mystery, whether it is to become a friend, a lesson, or just to give someone a kind word or gesture when they may need it. I raise my children to treat everyone they meet with kindness and acknowledgement ...

Good Morning Everyone,  Hope you all are having a great start to your week. Tuesdays are usually DVD release days and here is the DVD Release List for today. June 12, 2012. - A Little Bit of Heaven - Accident - All Screwed Up - Brad Meltzer's Decoded: Season Two - Demoted - Dog the Bounty Hunter: Taking It to the Streets  - Entourage: The Complete Eighth Season - GCB: The Complete First Season - Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season 6, Part 1 - Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season 6, Part 2 - Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance  - The Gold Rush (Criterion Collection) - Harold and Maude (Criterion Collection) - The Hedgehog - In Darkness (Drama) - Kino Classics Presents: The Lina Wertmuller Collection - Love & Anarchy - Missing: The Complete First Season ...

Good Morning All, It's Friday! What are your plans for the weekend? I was asked if I was going to do my weekly dvd and movie lists like I did for awhile a year ago. I decided I will  "try". I tend to get side tracked and my summer classes started this week so I am juggling home, school, and work right now so my time tends to get away from me. I will try to remember to update the lists as often as possible. Lately there have not been too many movies that I have wanted to see but with summer coming up I am hoping for some good ones. Have you all see Avengers? What did you think? I really liked it, but I am a nerd...lol. So without further ado, here is the movie list along with the list for Sheppard AFB for my local military friends: June 8, 2012 Movie Releases: -  Bel Ami   -  Dark Horse -  For the Love of Money   -  Lola Versus   -  Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted   -  Patagonia Rising -  Paul Williams Still Al...

Good Morning All, It is time for this week's Thankful Thursday. I missed last week :(. Getting used to the new work schedule threw me off a bit last week but I am back. I hope you all have been having a great week and have an even better weekend.  These last two weeks have been interesting. I have always been a people watcher and work is an excellent place to observe people. The dynamics are intriguing and the people are all unique. One thing that I am loving about this job is that there is never an "I have nothing to do" moment. There is always something to do! Even if done with your assigned duties, you can help others. And those that know me know I am a helper...lol.(Sometimes to a fault), but it keeps me busy. However, everyone that has ever worked know that not everyone is hearts and flowers and you have to learn to work with people that have different characteristic even if they are negative. That goes into my thankfuls. 1. I am thankful for patience....

Hello All, Whoo hoo! My blog has officially hit over 1,000 views. (1,048 to be exact). Thank you all for coming back to read the posts. I am working on a giveaway to celebrate. I will be posting the details soon so stay tuned. I hope you all are having a great weekend and enjoy your Sunday! A few words to leave you with this Sunday: Reputation is what men and women think of us; Character is what God and angels know of us.  - Thomas Paine Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play is free will. -Jawaharal Nehru Do not forget small kindnesses and do not remember small faults. - Chinese Proverb Be a person of virtue and good character. Live the life you have been given to its fullest, you have free will. If there is something happening in your life that is bringing you down change it! "Do not sweat the small stuff" and ultimately most of it is small stuff. Life is too short to stress ab...

Good Morning All, Today is Friday! Yes! I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy it to the fullest you can. Well, yesterday kind of got away from me. It was a busy filled day and I was going to skip the Thankful Thursday post this week but I have so much to be thankful for I just couldn't. It is hard to limit it to three things that I am thankful for, but here it goes: Today is the last day of school, the kiddos get out of school today and I am looking forward to the summer with them. Their excitement this last week has been infectious and I am reminded of how I felt when I was their age and school was letting out for the summer. I am thankful for employment. For those that do not know yet, I decided to go to work part-time out of the home (for several reasons) but it was a hard choice and one thing I did not want to compromise on was my time with my children and being there for my family. I was blessed with a job that gave me very close to the exact hours ...

Well, here is part 2 of the BJJ/Self Defense blog, it took a little longer to get to than I wanted, but here it is! I want to focus today on the history of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a form of martial arts that is based on ground fighting. Unlike most other forms that emphasize fighting from a standing position and using kicks, punches, etc. this form teaches how to fight on the ground and from the back, which is different from other forms of ground fighting. Students of the art learn how to takedown their opponent, how to defend takedowns, control the fighting from the ground, and submissions. BJJ fighters are taught to become comfortable with a position called guard which is what sets it apart from other forms of ground fighting. Guard-position is wrapping one's legs around an opponent to limit their mobility, this allows the fighter to fight from their back successfully. BJJ has a very good reputation in the fighting/martial...

Good Afternoon All, Today is a beautiful day here in Texoma. I woke up feeling refreshed and went straight outside to enjoy the sun and our garden. Look who I found in the garden. I think she decided to move in. I found her under the broccoli. This little critter is more than welcome in our garden, especially since she is an all natural pest control.  New inhabitant of the garden. The cucumber and bush beans are flowering along with the squash now. Bush Beans Cucumber So obviously this is part of my Thankfuls for today! Today my 3 Thankfuls are: 1. Nature: Part of last weeks, the miracle that is life. The miracle that is nature is beautiful. Do you ever think how all of nature fits together? A month ago my garden was dirt and seeds with no sign of life showing. But now look at it! It is almost ready to harvest (some of it). With that small seed, I will be able to provide nutritious meals to my family and they get to see the awesomeness that is nature......

Hello All, I hope you all are having a great week so far. It is Hump Day only half a week left before the weekend! What are you excited about today? I am excited about possibilities! The possibility of new and better things. Take some time today just a minute or two and think of positive possibilities, then write them down and save them. Every now and then pull your list out and work on it. Nothing is too small. A book you want to read, a class you want to take, dance with someone, do something unexpected! In a month or two look at the list and see what you have done, then add more. We should all have something to look forward to or work toward. So here is to dancing to your life! Enjoy it, have fun with it. Many adults are too serious! Why? We forget how to play, how to be in awe of things, how to have fun. Dance in the rain, play in the dirt, laugh at silly things, and most of all live the life you have been blessed with.  I am excited about our garden here at the Kendri...