In Memoriam...

Virginia Whitaker

February 27, 1924 - December 25, 2009

December...Part 2

My December...
So many joys, celebrations, events. But painful losses and hurt, too. I know we are shaped, defined even, by our struggles. Through them we can truly appreciate our countless blessings.

December 2 - Beth R's birthday. Beth was my best friend growing up; primarily during my elementary school years. I'd love to reconnect with her. It's been years!

December 3 - My husband's brother Roger and his wife Vivienne's 26th Wedding Anniversary. Happy Anniversary!

December 6 - My precious niece was born on this day in 1973. One of the happiest days of my (then) young life! Happy Birthday, Tamara!

December 6 - The day my father-in-law passed away, 8-years ago. He's still dearly missed.

December 10 - My wedding anniversary! Definitely one of my most favorite days of the year!

December 10 - Alan W's birthday. A wonderful, dear man I'm blessed to have as a family member.

December 15 - My youngest nephew was born on this date in 1997. My youngest son arrived 3 months later and the two are great friends in addition to being cousins. Happy Birthday, Andrew!

December 19 - My husband, Kenneth's, birthday. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! I Love You!

December 20 - Another niece, Michelle W., was born on this day 26 years ago. Happy Birthday, Michelle! I'd love to have one of your special hugs - it's been much too long.

December 24 - The eve we celebrate Christmas with extended family. Always a wonderful time with those we love.

December 25 - Christmas Day. A time of joy and reflection on the birth of our savior, Jesus. Also a warm and wonderful time with immediate family in the morning and throughout the day.

December 25, 2009 - My father's wife, Virginia Whitaker, passed away this evening after a brief illness diagnosed in November. I'm so sorry for the loss and pain my father is going through at this time.

December 28 - My dear friend, Dawn F's birthday. We met as teens and aside from the physical distance between us the ties remain strong. Sure wish we could celebrate this day together over lunch and catch-up time! Miss you, Dawn!

December 28 - Happy? Anniversary, Jeff. We certainly made some memories. Hope you kept the happier ones like I have.

December 31 - New Year's Eve - A time to usher out the old and ring in the new. The way I like to celebrate this has changed over the years but the promise of a 'new beginning' retains an irresistable sparkle...

Happy New Year...

December...Part 1

In my experience December is certainly the most dramatic month of the year. The weight of expectation hangs on it like a heavy snow on eaves and rooftops.

It is, after all, Christmas! Highs, lows, hot and cold. Stark contrasts from the 1st to the31st. We may spend months preparing for it...and months recovering from it. An emotional see-saw even to those even-keeled folks, the sans-drama-ites; mania disrupting the calm.

I was dreading this holiday season. Just wanted it to be over. My husband could have joined me in my pity-party but he refused. We had a beautiful Christmas. He made sure of it. Through it all he kept a thankful, upbeat, joy-of-the-season attitude. I took the easy way out - it's easy to feel defeated and overwhelmed. Easy to go with the sadness. He was the 'rock.' He took the cliche' lemons and made wonderful lemonade. In retrospect I wish I had done the same for him. Been his rock. But I wasn't.

But...

Alas, just ahead is the 'New Year!' I can start again. Refocus. Get back on track. Face, and hopefully accept the challenges along the way.

Life, and more importanly, God, offers us many chances to get back on track. Even make complete u-turns if necessary. We may fail today but that doesn't doom us to failure in the days to come. Failure, like attitude, is often something we choose. We have little input in what we're given. We do, however, determine what we make of it.

December...

Special Day!

Birthday Wishes Today To My Husband, Kenneth.

You're The Best...

The Challenge

There is within each of us a dream, an idea, a cause; a certain 'something' that we can be or are passionate about.

Have you found yours?

Apathy and mediocrity are passion killers.

Explore, ignite, and pursue that which brings out the passion in you.

Merry Christmas...

Pretty Cool Science Lesson

The following video was sent to me awhile back from a dear friend. I got chills from this and wanted to share it here. Sit back, relax, and be amazed...

Love/Hate Relationship

This time of year brings the following emotionally-charged words...

• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• family
• New Year

I think it's safe to say that many folks have a sincere love/hate relationship with the entire holiday season.

If you are fortunate you absolutely love the holidays and all they entail. You're joyful and relatively stress-free.

Some folks just hate this time of year. They find no joy in the season and experience greater levels of stress and/or depression.

Then, I think there's 'the rest of us.' Those I mentioned above who see-saw between the two, or simply maintain balance somewhere in the middle.

• Realizing and acknowledging how very much we have to be thankful for
• Having difficulty feeling thankful during very difficult times and circumstances
• There's a strong focus on good food during the holidays - Yum!
• Difficult time of year for weight and health management
• Entertaining, decorating, traveling, shopping
• Entertaining, decorating, traveling, shopping
• Gift-Giving
• Finding money in the budget for gift-giving
• Exciting, stepped-up schedules
• Even less time to get everything done
• Time with friends and loved-ones
• Difficult or uncomfortable relationships for some; others are alone and lonely
• Wanting the perfect gifts for everyone
• Wanting our kids to appreciate the true meaning of the holidays
• New Year! New Beginning! New Resolutions!
• New Year, nothing changes, resolutions broken or not even attempted

The holidays can be a wonderful, magical time. They can also be pain-filled and depressing. I pray you make the most of the season and can be joyful. I pray, too, that you are sensitive to those around who may be struggling. Let your heart, not our commercialized society, dictate how you spend the holidays. Don't hesitate to show your love and always be open to receiving love from others.

May Holiday Blessings be Yours...

Ctrl-X

Wow...

Ctrl-x is a shortcut to remove text on the page and move it to the clipboard when using Microsoft programs. When blogging here it just removes the text; it's gone. Ouch.

a blank page

So many times I come to this place and want to write. I feel so much and want to express that here...on this blank page...but the words won't come.

I don't think it's having something to say as much as it is wanting to be heard.

Food For Thought...

Happy Birthday Wishes

to my sister-in-law, Carol, in Cocoa, FL.

Enjoy your special day!

There's not a cell phone battery around that can stand up to two 8-yr old girls on a marathon Sunday afternoon gab session!

Miracle in my kitchen... 'John,' the caterpillar Abbey brought home a few weeks ago emerged from his chrysalis today and is now a beautiful butterfly. She's been misting him with water all along and now he has Gatorade-drenched cotton balls in his cage.

Change of plans...I thought I would meet with Elisa tomorrow. Swap some coupons, get Zach's car seat to her - normal stuff. Guess that will have to wait. They're on their way up north for the holidays. I somehow thought that would be later in the week and I'd see them all again before they went. Oops.

I hate buying books that tell you how to save money...

Breaking tradition this year and going to eat out on Thanksgiving. Let's just say I'm not going to win any popularity awards for that decision.

Abbey, my 8-yr old, made wonderful Sloppy Joes for our lunch today.

Feeling good about cleaning out two freezers this afternoon...that is until I remembered there's one more to go. Need to have clean freezers in order to save all that money the aforementioned books are going to help me with!

Facebook and the Internet easily open long-closed doors. It's an emotional see-saw deciding whether to make those connections or leave them be. Most recently I've found that a best-friend from my teen years made a move she'd always talked about (yay!) and another old friend seems to be doing well when I really thought they would have been dead by now. That's good to know!

Laundry is evil.

That about wraps up my random thoughts for this afternoon. Have a blessed and very Thankful week.

Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy...I Love New Toys!

Have you heard of Kindle? The portable book/magazine/newspaper reader by Amazon.com? It's a pretty cool gadget that's been on my 'wish list' for a while now, but a little on the pricey side.

Well, today, I received a notice in my inbox that Kindle for the PC was available for FREE download. So, in less than two minutes, I can go to Amazon.com, download a book (most for 9.99), and begin reading it on my computer.

• No going to the book store.
• No waiting for my beloved UPS deliveries.
• No Shipping Charges
• No storing the books in ever-decreasing storage space.
• No dropped books in the bath tub.
• No torn pages, missing pages, coffee splatters

I'm in book and computer lover's paradise!!! You've really got to check this out!

I'm so happy, Happy, HAPPY!

A Day In the Life...

I was so excited yesterday to find out that our daughter and son-in-law are expecting a baby girl. Ooh...a baby girl!!! That will make 1-boy and 1-girl for Shannon and Josh, and 1-boy and 1-girl for Elisa and Rob.


I wish you could have seen the smiles - the joy in their eyes. How blessed to be able to share in that moment with them! Oh man, I can just see our grandson, Zachary, as a big brother. Having had 5-children of my own I like to imagine these scenes with a nice musical soundtrack playing in the background - that way I don't hear the squeals and screams that usually accompany sibling play time.


But...that wasn't the only news...


We also found out yesterday that our oldest daughter is a possible match to be a kidney donor for her father-in-law. She now moves to the next level of testing and nothing is certain at this point. We knew the family was being counseled and tested but we hadn't given it much thought beyond that. Now it looks like we're having to give it more thought! I'm very proud of our daughter for not hesitating to step-up-to-the-plate. As a mother, however, I have my own concerns. She is, after all, still my child...no matter how old she gets or how many of her own children she has. I believe some of my concern comes from the fact that my own father lost a kidney to cancer a number of years ago. My thoughts quickly hit on the 'What if...' questions.


Less dramatic but noteworthy just the same is the celebratory fact that our oldest son was able to get all his first-choice classes for next semester. He's a junior in college and class schedules are often a concern. Did I mention he's a worrier? Wow - yes, like you wouldn't believe!

Rounding out the day are homeschool issues, Boy Scout issues, Abbey so happy to have finished her first Nancy Drew book, a zoo field-trip, spiritual discussions, holiday planning, current events discussions and, finally, movie and pizza night at my mother-in-law's home. We're watching 'Up' and I'm looking forward to a lighthearted, relaxing evening. Tomorrow I get to babysit Zach while Rob and Elisa take in a football game.


And so it goes...each day has a new set of joys to celebrate, fires to put out, laughter to share, dreams to dream, tears to cry, and so on. I really love the 'and so on' part!

So if you hear me mention my (pick one: quiet, boring, laid-back, un-exciting) life, please remind me of my blog posts like this. After all, it's just part of 'a day in the life...'

All the best...

Giving Hope - A Message from "Be The Match Foundation"

Today I want to take a moment to promote a cause that my husband and I have been a part of for 10-years now. We are registered with the National Marrow Donor Program as potential donors. It's possible we'll have the opportunity to save someone's life one day.

I urge you to take a moment to visit BeTheMatchFoundation.org for more information.

Thank you...

*******************************************************************











You have the power to help, the power to give hope.

Be The Match Foundation supports the work of the National Marrow Donor Program. Together they help patients receive the marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant they need.

Your gift will help in many ways:

• Add members to the Be The March Registry, so more patients have the chance to find their match.
• Provide financial assistance to patients to make their transplant and recovery possible.
• Advance medical discovery to help patients live longer, healthier lives.

Thousands of patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases rely on Be The Match Foundation and the National Marrow Donor Program to make their transplants possible.

The need is great.

Every gift counts.

You make the difference.

To make a gift, visit http://www.bethematchfoundation.org/ or call 1-800-507-5427.

You may also mail a gift to: Be The Match Foundation, 3001 Broadway Street N.E., Suite 601, Minneapolis, MN 55413-1753

*Be The Match Foundation is the new name of The Marrow Foundation.

Have I been fired? OR "Leadership Training 101"

I love the fact that we are a homeschooling family. Undoubtedly a journey of countless blessings, humor, and, in all honesty, its fair share of doubt and frustration (for students and teacher alike).

(This photo of Abbey was taken while she was studying on the porch off our classroom. The photo of Christopher was taken in Washington DC during a lunch break on the mall.)

Each day is a new adventure!

A few weeks ago I was a bit under the weather and the kids did their schoolwork in the classroom while I rested on the couch. They would come to me or their college-student brother when they needed help. Overall, however, Christopher was 'in-charge,' or the 'teacher' for the day. He thought that was pretty cool. Since then, he often tells me I can take the day off. He can be the teacher and all will be fine. 'You can trust me,' he says.



I never know whether to be insulted or proud. Is he trying to fire me? Or is he, as I prefer to look at it, working on his leadership skills?

Our days are full and lively and in some respects very similar to classrooms all across the country. In the best ways, I like to think.

Our days are also different from what you'd find in a typical classroom. I've had Abbey run out of the room in tears when her brother wrote a 'Little Sister For Sale' ad in his creative writing course. We have a dachshund named Trudy for our school mascot and she's often treated as one of the students. We are pretty good at 'doing school' on the go, in the car, in a variety of cities and states, and just occasionally, on weekends or in the evenings. You'll hear squeals of delight when our principal walks in..."Daddy! Daddy,!" and our most recent fire drill occurred in a high-rise hotel in Washington DC.

Oops...the principal just came in...guess I better get back to work. After all, I don't want to get fired.

T'was the Month Before Christmas

The following email made it to my inbox this morning. Thanks, Joy, for sharing.
It's nice finding a 'diamond in the rough' of my emails!

*T'was The Month Before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ' Holiday.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Target was hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowes the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!*

Please, all Christians join together and wish

everyone you meet during the holidays a

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christ is 'The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!

Humbled yet again...

With so much in this world that I don't know, I'm probably a bit smug about those things I do know about. Well...let's just say that I have been humbled. Yet again.

I recently came upon a wonderful bread and was fortunate enough to get the recipe for it. I've been a bit of a foodie for years (not in practice but in a more scholarly manner) and I love to bake bread from scratch.

So, shopping list in hand, I began searching for the needed ingredients at my local Bloom grocery store. I was familiar with all the items - while not in every pantry, I knew they wouldn't be too difficult to locate.

Here were my thoughts while shopping...

Hmmm....let's see...polenta - that's the corn like stuff, ok, dont' see it anywhere - going to have to go to the healthier-type-food store

rolled oats - hmm...I have Quaker in the cupboard but I don't remember if those are rolled or not - better buy the specific 'rolled oats' item called for - I'll get those at the other store, too.

Ok, wheat bran - not wheat germ - of course - I know where that is in the grocery store. Ok, here's another for the other store. I give up here - I'm just going to start again tomorrow with a trip to Earth Fare.

Ahh...Earth Fare...pretty cool place. Let's try again. Let's check out the bins of fresh items.

*Ok, polenta - No? Darn. Ok, I'll have to check the shelves.

*Rolled oats - oh hey, hurray! Ok, I'll grab a plastic bag with about 4-scoops of these rolled oats - I know I want to make a lot of this bread.

*Wheat bran - hmm...nope - oat bran but no wheat bran here -

*Unbleached bread flour - I can get that most places but since Bloom didn't have it and I'm here now I'll go ahead and get that. Just a small bag because I'll get a big bag at Sam's.

I should have the other items already...brown sugar, brown rice, salt, yeast, honey, buttermilk, poppy seeds. Oh good - buttermilk - I'll have to pick some up but that's good 'cause now we'll have my special hotcakes one night this week.

Ok...so now Abbey and I are off to check out the shelves for the still-needed items. This will take a little investigation because the items are certainly different from those found on my Carolina grocery shelves.

Score! Here's the wheat bran. That was easier than I expected. Now, polenta. Yes! Here it is. Bob's Red Mill; Corn Grits also known as Polenta.

WHAT!?! Corn Grits?!?

You're kidding, right? I've been looking all over the place for corn grits? I can't believe I have to go home and tell my husband I was looking all over the place for, of all things, grits. I will never live this one down. I'm envisioning the laughter bubbles penned above everyone's heads. Practically a headline in the Greer Citizen... Long-time resident skips grits and goes for POLENTA. ARGH!

Boy, oh boy, this bread had better be good.

Home Again...

Back home, safe and sound. What a nice place to be! As I write this, it's 7:30 pm on a Saturday evening and I'm comfortably lounging in my own bed, in my pj's, and with my laptop at hand. Relaxing after a long day of driving (well, ok, a long day of riding; Dear Husband did the driving).

We came home a different route and it was such a treat! We took 81 through the Shenandoah area of Virginia and it was incredible! Gently rolling hills, reds and golds painted along the roadway and a peaceful facade. Made it difficult to believe it was so close (yet so far) from DC. Autumn lived up to its golden reputation today! The weather even cooperated on that leg of our journey but quickly turned dismal once we got to the Carolinas (i.e. Home). That's ok - dismal weather or not - the Carolinas are always beautiful to behold.

True to recent form, however, I did sleep a good bit today. I was just awake enough to catch part of a stand-up's routine on satellite radio talking about his wife sleeping while he's driving long distances. Kenneth and I both got a chuckle from that!

Tomorrow will be a combination of church, returning our rental car, unpacking, settling in, enjoying the extra hour from the time change, and preparing for the week ahead. We got a call while we were away that the part for our dryer came in. They're supposed to be here Monday afternoon to fix it (this will be the 3rd appt. - we 1st called for service 9/22). Odd as it sounds, I'm really looking forward to doing laundry!!!

Monday morning will have us back in our classroom and hitting the books. Away time is great, but most of our 'at home' time is pretty great, too.

Yes, it's good to be back home!

I Rose to the Occasion...

Well, that time has come again...time to start packing up to head home. While this trip hasn't been all that I had hoped, it's still been a trip to DC and a break from the daily routine. I hate to see this week end because there was so much more to do and see, but there's always a special excitement and anticipation in returning home. Before we actually hit the road, though, I want to tell you about one of my 'adventures.'

Let me tell you about the escalators in the Washington DC Metro system...

I was oblivious on our first visit. We picked up the train in Maryland at a station that was above-ground. I didn't even realize there was an actual 'subway' system. Well, that changed pretty quickly. All in one trip I found out the train mostly travels underground and above-ground is the exception. I also found out that some of the stations are pretty deep underground. To get from train-level to street-level requires the use of escalators...many...long...escalators. This was when I unexpectedly came across the escalator at the Woodley Park-Zoo station. This particular escalator is the 3rd longest in the Metro system at 456' (Bethesda is 2nd at 475'). As someone with a fear of heights I spent an agonizing nearly 3-minute ascent holding on to the handrail with a death grip and praying the Lord's Prayer over and over and over. Did I mention the trembling and sweating???

I have been fascinated by the Metro system's escalators ever since.

Fast-forward to this trip. To my family's surprise, I suggested we get on the Metro and head to the Wheaton station. It has the longest single span uninterrupted escalator in the western hemisphere at 508' (the Washington Monument is 555'). I wanted to see - and hopefully travel - this behemoth. If that went well I planned on a quick stop at the next station, Forest Glen, which is the deepest of the Metro stations and bypasses escalators altogether, using only high-speed elevators to transport passengers.

I am proud and happy to report that I tackled the Wheaton escalator with only a moment's hesitation. In all honesty, I did hold on to my husband's pant leg with one hand while glancing nervously both ahead and behind - Yes! I looked Down! The trip down the escalator was no problem at all. There was a large, flat section prior to the descent and you couldn't even see the angle or length of the escalator at first. (I skipped the elevator ride to the top of the Washington Monument at the last minute because of my fear...I was afraid of being afraid!)

VICTORY! Yes! I even have it on video from my digital camera.

After Wheaton, Forest Glen was a letdown. The experience was that of an average elevator. Yes, it was pretty fast, and yes, I knew the station was very deep - it just didn't seem like a big deal at all. So, for something different, we did make our way to the first (last?) car behind the driver/operator for the ride back to our station. Again, nothing special, but it made for an extra sentence or two here in the blog!

Morning will be here quickly so I better get some sleep. We have a long drive home tomorrow.

Hmmm...Not What I Had Planned

So, let's see...

Safe travel to DC - check
Nice accomodations - check
Good eats - check
Everyone healthy? - uh, no

Huh? - No

Dehydration - check
Body aches - check
Fatigue - check

Oh man...this is Not What I Had Planned!

We made our way downstairs for a fresh, hot, cooked-to-order breakfast (very nice!) and discussed plans for the early part of the day before Ken was off on conference business. Before we made it back to our room upstairs I started feeling pretty rotten. Since I have already visited the Air & Space Museum I opted to stay behind and rest up - hoping to shake whatever was making me feel so bad. The family enjoyed the museum, eating lunch on the mall from street vendors, touching the Washington Monument, traveling on the Metro (packed like sardines after a local marathon ended but more comfortable on the return trip) and marveling at the seemingly endless escalators that get you to/from the trains. A little research showed many of them to be among the longest in the world.

The family brought me a sandwich from the unique deli we had dinner at the previous evening. Lots of water and some Gatorade to help with dehydration but still not much in the way of improvement. I did go out with the family for a quiet dinner nearby at Chadwick's (think Cheers-type atmosphere with a full food menu) and build-your-own frozen yogurt desserts across the street. Really fun concept and can even border on healthy if you're careful. The kids (and, truth be told, me too) enjoyed the white butcher paper and crayons on our dinner table. We were free to decorate while waiting for our food to arrive. I snapped a few pictures of our masterpieces before we left.

Back to our room and ready to call it a night. Ken leaves early for his conference and we have school work to do following breakfast. At this point I just hope to be feeling better (and that the rest of the family stays healthy) so we can enjoy the rest of the week.

Wishing everyone an awesome autumn week!

Don't Need No Fromer's Guides...We Know What We Like!

In the beginning...
We did make it safely to Washington, DC yesterday. A fun, blessedly uneventful trip weaving a tastebud-pleasing path from the upstate of SC to the Friendship Heights section of the District. I should note, however, that this is the first road trip our family has taken WITHOUT a big bag of snacks to accompany us. We enjoyed...

...a stop in 'Duke' country for a substantial breakfast at Cracker Barrel (my most favorite breakfast stop while traveling).

...tasty peanuts from the Virginia Welcome Center.

...a surprise treat of a couple of shared Cinnabon rolls mid-morning - oh yeah!

I wouldn't have thought so, but even our Burger King lunch was memorable. Thank goodness for digital cameras and cell phones - otherwise Christopher would have broken the bank in photo developing costs from the snaps he took at lunch alone! No run-of-the-mill BK for us, no sir...this was a 3-story presentation with movie/entertainment memorabilia all over the place. Seating in a Batmobile booth, creatures, heroes, and even ET! Take that with your burger and fries; we did. Actually our seats were top-level overlooking the bustling traffic outside, which, for our rural-family was very entertaining. Not quite as entertaining as parking, but hey - this *is* a Burger King lunch we're talking about.

Dinner? Did someone say 'Dinner?' Not so fast... our hotel offers a hospitality area each evening for snacks and beverages. It was an interesting combination of fresh fruit, red-white-blue corn chips with salsa, goldfish snack crackers and a snack-mix of some kind. We spent about an hour there unwinding from our day and sharing comfortable conversation with the kids. I was able to awe them with my incredible knowledge of salsa - 'if you don't like it hot, avoid the little white seeds.' I love having kids this age!

Walking around the nearby area we checked out an Italian restaurant a few doors down. It looked nice but the wait was 90+ minutes - too long for us - we had been up since 3:00 a.m. So, across the streets we ventured to a bright and upbeat looking deli, 'Booeymongers.' Our sandwiches were good and we liked the casual atmosphere. The fresh flowers on each table were a nice and unexpected touch. The background sound system was playing many of our oldest son's favorite songs - impressed that I recognized some of them, I texted him the titles and artists as they played. He already knows I'm random - now he knows I was thinking of him (and missing him) too.

We wrapped up the evening with a family viewing of 'Transformers' in our suite before calling it a night and sleeping comfortably until... BREAKFAST!

Just Livin' This Life...

Lest anyone think I'm casting my concerns on others, this is only a reflection of where my heart is at the moment.

Yes, just living this life...Sometimes reactively, sometimes proactively, sometimes with wisdom, but oftentimes not. Just living each day.

We have to be careful we don't let our schedules get away from us. I truly believe our busy lifestyles are a modern-day curse for families. We need to focus on doing less for our children and more with them. More dinners together at home, time for board games and hot cocoa. Time to discuss school and not always doing school. That's a tough one for a homeschooling family, believe me.

A family in our local homeschool group lost their husband/father yesterday. No warning. No goodbyes. Wife and young children suddenly alone. This touched and frightened me tremendously. I ache for this family. In all honesty, I also give a prayer of thanks that it wasn't my husband, my life, my children suddenly without their father. I want to hold them all a little closer today. Keep a keener eye on, well, everything.

The urge to hold everyone smotheringly close is real but has to be resisted. I know we can't live this way. It wouldn't matter even if we did. Hold sand in a tight-fisted grip and see how much seeps out anyway. Hold it open-palmed, gently, and it stays put.

Tonight I'll see my grandson for the first time in months. He's 4-years old. I hate how much of his life we're missing, but know there's nothing I can do about it. Texas is a long way away. You know I'll hold him extra-close tonight - if only for a moment or two. Four-year olds are really squirmy - the tighter you hold them the more they squirm.

Oops...time to go get Christopher from his youth-group meeting. I'm anxious to hear all about his evening. Can't ever be too busy for that.

G'night.

What's Your Personality Pattern?

Chris Roberts wrote on his blog..."Tony Morgan wrote about taking the Personality Pattern test ( http://psychcentral.com/personality-patterns/). I decided to take it as well. Here are my results..."

Well, it looked interesting to me, too. So here are my results. Aside from the fact that I don't care for rap/hip-hop music it's pretty accurate. The 'not compelled to be right all the time'...well, that could go either way.

Scrupulous...You are an honest, fair person. You don't lie or cheat to get ahead. You treat others with respect and hope for the same in return.
You do not feel that you are above the rules that everyone else follows; you are definitely not willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead.

Loose...You feel that a clean, orderly desk is the sign of a person who doesn't have enough to do. Schedules and "to do" lists feel stifling; you thrive on a sense that anything goes, and know that the world won't end if you don't clean up after finishing a job.
You don't need to know that everything is in its place; it is not empowering to you to feel that the world around you is neat and organized. Mowing down every item on your "to do" list, every day, does not bring you joy.

Accessible...You're comfortable expressing yourself in words and actions, with no self-censorship. You believe that if someone doesn't like what they see it's not your problem, but theirs. A high score on the "accessible" trait suggests that you have a lot of friends, socialize often, and enjoy rap/hip-hop music.

You don't see the need to keep your thoughts to yourself, or to have a zone of privacy that encompasses only yourself and a small circle of friends and relatives.

Impulsive... You trust your your instincts. What others may see as rash behavior is, for you, simply going with your gut. Individuals with a high score on the "impulsive" trait tend to try new, sometimes outrageous, things.

You are not timid. For you, spending time microscopically examining the pros and cons of every decision means never getting anything accomplished.

Introspective...You like your own company; you're a very interesting person. Tracking your own mental processes, knowing what you're thinking and why you do what you do, is important to you. Often, what's going on in your mind is more compelling than what's going on outside. For the most part, those with a high score on the "introspective" trait enjoy reading, taking long walks, learning new things, and other solitary activities.
You are not someone who is constantly looking to be among a group of friends; you never feel bored when you are by yourself.

Warm... You have a genuine interest in other people. You're a natural host, and are always thinking about how you can increase the happiness of those around you. When friends have problems or are in trouble, you're usually the first person they turn to for aid and comfort. Scoring high on the "warm" trait suggests that you are among those who enjoy domestic activities — doing things around the house — and are enthusiastic about charitable work, helping others, and making the world a better place.

You don't always say exactly what you're thinking; you don't like the idea of causing anyone pain because of your criticism.

Responsible...You fulfill your obligations and responsibilities, are true to your word, and generally obey the rules. While the majority of those who have a high score on the "responsible" trait enjoy traveling, they are usually very happy to return home — and don’t mind staying put for a while.

You're opposed to making hasty decisions, you don't insist that you're above the rules, nor do you feel compelled to color outside the lines.

Organized... You like to think a task through before you embark on it. If it's the slightest bit complicated, you make a list (even if it's only in your mind) and methodically work your way through it. When you have a goal in mind, you're not satisfied until you reach it.

You are not one of those people who ignore the details, and you don't understand how anyone can get anything accomplished without thoughtful planning ahead of time.

Sympathetic ... You have a knack for knowing what's going on in the hearts and minds of those around you, without their having to tell you explicitly. People tend to turn to you with their problems because they know you care, and that you will likely offer good advice and a helping hand.

You do not feel that people with sad stories are just looking for attention, or have brought their problems upon themselves.

Cooperative... You enjoy teamwork, play well with others, and prefer getting along to winning.

You're not compelled to win every contest nor to be right all the time.

On the Road, Heading Home

Traveling can be a time of great contemplation and endless metaphors. Throw in some old and beloved songs coming from the radio with the required amount of mood-static and hey, you can be a grand philosopher.

Yes, we're wrapping up a week-long family vacation and on the road heading home. Packing up to head home is different from packing to go on vacation. The excitement and anticipation are replaced by a restful outlook and desire to be home. You know the saying...'there's no place like home.' In our case I'm anxious to see our other kids/grandkids, play with my dog, get back to our schooling, etc. I know climbing in my bed will be comforting, as well.

Our vacation was pretty low-key; just the way I like it. I enjoyed things on vacation that are, frankly, dreaded at home; simple things like going to the grocery store, doing a load or two of laundry (no dirty clothes after vacation, yay!!!!), deciding where to eat, where to shop, go to the pool or ocean, nap or read. I don't remember a cup of hot tea tasting quite as good or being quite as soothing at home.

But...

Lest ye think I am anti-home... I am not. Home. The word itself conjures up so many thoughts, feeings, images. Ideally these will be of the warm and fuzzy type. Home is, after all...home.

So, once we make the transition in our minds from 'time for vacation' to 'time to go home,' then the heart goes on ahead and we just want to be there. Little bits of excitement at regular intervals...seeing a city in your state listed on a mileage sign...crossing into your home state (and obligatory stop at the Welcome Center), seeing your city on the milesage sign, your exit from the highway, etc... Before you know it you're turning into your drive and...ahhh...home at last.

(My post was interrupted by the untimely death of my laptop battery... Fast forward a few hours.)

...ahhh...home at last. That's where I am now. We arrived home a few hours ago and just finished a pizza dinner. Unpacking will have to wait until tomorrow. It's time to relax and enjoy being home. "Here, Trudy-Dog..."

It's good to be home.

Mind-Blogging...

Mind-blogging is a wonderful thing. That's where I 'write' all these wonderful blog entries - in my mind - that never make it to this screen. Trust me - I've done a lot of mind-blogging this last month - and I'm sure they were some of the best I've ever done. But you'll just have to take my word for that...

Seriously - there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I'd like to. Then, when there is time to, say, sit down and write a blog, I may not be in the mood. My creative well may be completely dry (refrain from rude comments, please).

My blog is not the only thing to be ignored lately. My weight-loss journey has been more a running-in-place exercise as opposed to making real progress. I definitely need to refocus and not let a busy lifestyle derail me. Did I really use the term 'exercise' just then? Scary...that's been neglected too.

Yes, we are 'back in school' at our house - literally at our house. We are a homeschooling family and I'm excited and thrilled to be back to our studies. I like to believe we don't take summer off but it seems we usually do - despite my best intentions.

I love being back in our classroom (our schooling was done at my daughter's home part of last year) and having our own space devoted to our studies. In addition to our desks and tables we also have a comfy couch that is just wonderful for reading time. Even our loyal dog, Trudy, has adjusted. She now has a bed and food/water in our classroom - right under our primary white-board. She doesn't get much lap time but she is with us most of the day.

And finally...

Setting up camp...

Our first official family camping trip was a success - or at least half-a-success. We opted to stay comfortable and dry at home Friday night and made our way to the campsite Saturday morning instead - after the rain checked-out. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. We're so fortunate to live in an area of the country with such great camping/hiking opportunities in the vicinity.

I'm also fortunate as a 'newbie' camper to have my husband as a campanion (ok, pretty lame, I know). He's not just a Boy Scout - he's a Scout Master. That means he has thought of everything as far as safety, survival, supplies, gear, etc. Well...almost everything - (pay attention, men) if a woman tells you that bathroom facilities aren't that important - don't believe her. Our next trip will include a portable camping potty. Our walking sticks that I thought a novelty really came in 'handy.' (ugh...ok, I'll stop). We have tarps ropes, lanterns, flashlights and doohickies galore. Not being well-versed in tents and such I was a little surprised when my son asked me how I liked sleeping in "the HUGE tent." I guess being able to stand up to dress, make the bed and such is a luxury. Who knew? Oh yeah - my Scout Master, that's who.

Hoping you have a wonderful weekend.

Family...

Happy Birthday, Dear Kaitlyn...

Our beautiful and sweet granddaughter, Kaitlyn Leigh Cox, celebrated her 1st birthday last week with a party attended by friends and family. Balloons, snacks, cake, party hats and tons of love filled the room.

Sandwiched in-between Kaitlyn's actual birthday and her party was oldest daughter's birthday. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

Christopher and Abbey participated in a wonderful 'Kids Praise' production of 'Life School Musical' last Sunday. They knew their parts and songs, the music was upbeat, the message solid and the performance was heartwarming. Christopher really nailed his speaking part as 'Peter' and Abbey sang her solo like a little angel.

Our oldest son is visiting family in Florida. He's been gone a couple of weeks now and we really miss him. I sure am glad that missing loved ones is so much easier now than it used to be. Remember when we didn't have computers, Facebook, email, free long-distance, cell/camera phones etc.??? I sure do!

Tuesday was homecoming for my mother-in-law. She'd been away for some time and it's good to have her back home. We were sorry she missed Kaitlyn and Shan's birthdays as well as the performance but understand she can't be everywhere at the same time. In Florida she was able to celebrate her daughter and son-in-law's wedding anniversary along with a milestone birthday celebration for her son-in-law. We had a nice time catching-up, visiting some with my sister-in-law and niece, and eating pizza. My bad...I drank Carol's last diet Barq's Root Beer. Sorry...

Those are the highlights of the past week, but rest assured, not the only happenings in our large, busy family. For instance, I received this photo on my phone a few hours ago as part of a text message. My daughter expressed surprise that this shirt for Zach was the smallest one available but hopefully it will fit him better 9-months from now.

Oh my! Surprised, but very happy, we found out tonight that we'll be welcoming our fourth grandchild next spring. I just know Zach is going to be a phenomenal big brother!

As you can imagine with a family as spread out as ours, we stay plenty busy. Christopher has a Scout camping trip this weekend and goes before the Board of Review next week so he can advance to the rank of Tenderfoot. We're ready to start school for the '09-'10 school year. Abbey wants me to take her to some local shops in town to try and sell her glycerin soap. Darrell will have to get ready for his junior year at USC Upstate when he gets back. Our children are in very different stages in their lives and we straddle the multiple generations the best we can. After all, I've had children in the 1980's, 1990's and 2000's. Now with our grandchildren we have more joys and a few challenges. As grandparents who still have young children at home we don't always have the same time available to spend with our grandkids that more traditional grandparents do; on the other hand the g'kids get to have play-dates with their Aunt and Uncle.

The best part, of course, is the ever-growing circle of love we find ourselves part of. Our family, while sometimes complicated, is worth every bit of joy, sweat, tears and emotion that go along with it. I hope yours is, too.

Make it a point to make some great memories this weekend.

Man, It Happened Again

We had relaxed, thought the time of danger was over, but we were wrong. One of our kittens, Tyson, was attacked and later died this afternoon by a neighbor's dog. Our little girl was bitten by the cat trying to get it away from the dog. It looks fine now but we'll have to keep an eye on it.

We lost kittens like this before. This time Ken and Christopher built an area for them to be safe. At 9-weeks old we thought the threat was past; that they were old enough to be ok. All of this transpired 5 minutes before the kids had to be at rehearsal for a play they're performing this evening - they are heartbroken and now have to go and put on a happy performance. I'd have a hard time under that kind of pressure.

Anyway, just wanted to get that out. It's so sad and I can't stand to see my family hurt. My son just heard the old saying 'the show must go on.'

Just Say Thank You...

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html

An officer does his duty to 'serve and protect' and next thing he knows the chief law enforcement officer of the country tells the world this officer acted 'stupidly.' I guess just saying 'Thank You' doesn't get you your 15 minutes of fame.

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Monday marks 8-years since my mother passed away. To this day I still feel anger and

a) blame myself for calling an ambulance instead of driving her to the hospital myself - maybe she would have been ok with faster treatment.

b) blame our emergency medical service - they took WAY TOO LONG to get here and WAY TOO LONG to get to the hospital - even with the attendant in the back telling the driver to hurry. AND I had to tell the driver how to get to the hospital. Then mother 'coded' in the parking lot before they could get her inside. Three days later she was gone.

I had a wonderful mother. I need to be able to just say 'Thank You' and move on. I had much to be thankful for where my mother was concerned.

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My daughter celebrated a birthday this week. We don't always see eye-to-eye and there are many times I feel bad about where we are. I need to step back and just be thankful for what I do have.

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It's not always easy to do the right thing - even when we know in our heart that it IS the right thing. We lose sight of the 'keep it simple' philosophy and complicate matters way too much. I really feel it's important, though, to not complicate things to the point we can no longer see why we should be thankful and acknowledge such.

I have countless blessings in my life and very few difficulties. It's easy to take those blessings for granted and focus on the difficulties. What I term difficult would actually be embarrassing in light of what so many others face daily. I am truly BLESSED and I pray I will always be able to see all that I have to be thankful for and FOCUS on that.

Another day comes to a close

Oh, man. Here it is - time for bed and yet another day without a blog entry. I've really been meaning to write something here. I just haven't had the ______________ (this blank can be filled in with any number of excuses).

Tonight I'm tired. Feeling deflated, defeated, disillusioned. This would not be a good time to write.

Last week we were all busy. This week the kids are busy. Busy can be a problem. It detracts from so many other things that could keep us, well, busy.

Recently...
VBS - great!

Pool party at friends' home - great!

Kids Praise daily rehearsal/summer camp - daily, but, still pretty great

Oldest son - in FL - 3 long weeks - it's nice to miss him - we get cranky when we're together a lot

M-I-L - playing phone tag a lot - will sit and chat one of these days soon

Husband - major hair buzz - easier and more comfortable for him - thinks I'm making fun of him

Granddaughter - turns 1 tomorrow - happy birthday, Kaitlyn!

Oldest daughter - rotten pain - has a birthday Friday. Yes, Happy Birthday, Shannon

Abbey - has mosquito bites - always - all summer long. Had fun bowling

Christopher - growing up so fast - too fast. Not thrilled with bowling excursion.

Zachary - So Big! - clapping hands - high 5's - ate spaghetti noodles - well, sort of

Elisa - odd conversation at nail salon with former classmate - trust me - it was the classmate that was odd - Rob and EK you're doing just fine.



That's about it today. I'm tired.

Insanity in America - A View From My Soapbox

We are a nation of people with very, very screwed up priorities. Clearly seen when you look at those we idolize, and, those we don't.

I am very sad today over the Michael Jackson debacle. Such adoration for a sad and tragic figure who's troubles in life were very much like his death...mostly of his own making.

I would put this 'entertainer' up against most regular folks I know and, in them, find far more worthy of adoration and respect.

Yes, I am sad and disgusted today with our pop culture and what our society finds fascinating and respectable. It convinces me there is indeed insanity in America. I only pray I am successful in passing on to my children those qualities in life that I find most admirable and worthy of respect; qualities I was able to see demonstrated first-hand in my parents and in-laws, husband, brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and a few close mentors through the years...(listed `in no particular order) qualities like heart, loyalty, integrity, decency, honesty, hard-work, keen sense of right and wrong, helpfulness, Godliness, selflessness, dedication, perseverance, kindness, pride in a job well done.

Today is just one of those many, many days that I'm thankful Los Angeles is on the other side of the country from Greer. Although I realize the LA mentality is everywhere, there's still comfort in the thought of 'the further away the better.'

While I feel only sadness at his apparent unhappiness in life, a life spent searching but never finding -and great sympathy for the loved ones left behind, I do hope that Michael Jackson is able to truly 'rest in peace.' I believe it would be a first for him.

A Slice of Americana

For today...
I'll take a break from worrying about the future of our country and reflect instead on the 233 years that took us 'from then 'til now.'

We'll cut up the watermelon, clean and hull 5-lbs of strawberries, bbq the ribs and burgers, make corn-on-the-cob and maybe even a homemade batch of key-lime ice cream. We'll head out to see some fireworks and TIVO 'A Capitol Fourth' from Washington.

Being the good Americans that we are we'll see what sales we can find at our local retailers; particularly sporting goods stores for camping/hiking gear.

We'll thank God once again (publicly if we choose to), that we are Americans and no matter what problems we face we know we're still blessed far more than we can ever comprehend.

Yes, 'Thank You, God' AND every American who ever wore the uniform, talked the talk AND walked the walk, drew blood, shed blood, shed a tear, provided protection and ensured the freedoms we so take for granted every moment of every day.

So blessed and so thankful.

Blessed 4th of July to you and yours...

Degrees of Separation...

It's funny those things that bring us comfort in certain situations.

Let me start by saying that we are a family that does most everything together. We're not big on time apart. That's not to say that we never do things apart, but it is unusual. If you've been following my ramblings for any length of time you'll know that my husband and youngest son are now involved in the Boy Scouts. My husband becomes the official Scoutmaster of the troop on the 7th of July. Well, the Scouts have regular camping trips. So, between camping trips, business trips, Ladies' Weekend Retreats, etc., our time apart has increased a bit. While not exactly thrilled, it's been ok - we've adjusted pretty well.

This week was a bit different. My husband had a 3-day, 2-night stay at Boy Scout Camp. No big deal, except, this trip he took his pillow with him. Pretty insignificant detail, right? Well, not to me. Each and every time I walked into our bedroom it was glaringly obvious, by the absence of that pillow, that my husband wasn't home. But there's more...I am in the habit of holding my husband's pillow close all night long whenever he's away. Well, this time there was no husband, no pillow, and even no children as Abbey didn't even bunk with me like she usually does when Dad's away. I was tempted to bring our dog, Trudy up but stopped just short - Kenneth is adamant about not having the dog in our room, much less in our bed.

When considering the degrees of separation, this week ranked pretty close to the top for the reasons I mentioned above. Add to that very poor cell service at the camp so we didn't even talk on the phone for 24 hours (a record in our relationship) and I was missing Christopher, too. Even Darrell was gone half that time at his sister's home.

This is not intended to be a whine-fest. It's more of an observation from my point-of-view. I was amazed how that missing pillow affected me; how this particular separation was tougher than usual. Just goes to show that little things aren't always so little.

No matter what, though, I count my blessings and thank God knowing that my guys will be home today. The pillow back in its place on the bed and my husband right beside me.

Camp Old Indian

I'm a much happier mom this evening. Our family piled in the minivan this afternoon and hit the road to Camp Old Indian to see our youngest son, Christopher, at Boy Scout Camp.


It was a lovely drive and the weather, while on the hot side, was beautiful just the same. Abbey and I both snapped pictures of the sign you see here as soon as we parked.





Within a few minutes of our arrival I spotted a familar head of bright blonde hair and the lanky gait that could only belong to my son. Best of all, he had a big smile for me and then I got a big hug. It was the best greeting I could have hoped for. My son had missed me - a little - but more importantly, he was having a great time and learning so many things.

Here's a pretty typical picture of our ham, er, son.

For family night we got to watch the troops in a parade/march (I know this is not the right terminology - bear with me - I'm still new at this) and flag ceremony. Each troop provided food for their scouts and guests. We had a nice dinner of lasagna, bread, salad, cookies and brownies (no jokes). We were in a shaded area and the worst of the afternoon heat had passed so the temperature was rather pleasant. We ate at picnic tables scattered around the camp area and chatted with the kids and other parents. Many of the boys were tossing a Frisbee around and enjoying the free time after dinner. They are keeping pretty full schedules both day and evening.

We chuckled over having to carry bathroom tissue with us when it was time to 'go.' Each camp area was given two rolls - if they returned an empty core the camp would give them a 3rd roll. Now, granted, I'm looking at this from a female perspective, but I just don't see how 2 or 3 rolls of tp is going to be enough for all those scouts for an entire week!

After dinner we trekked up to the amphitheater for a presentation of Indian dances and history of the Cherokee Indians here in the upstate. It was a wonderful presentation. Before we knew it it was time to say goodbye and make our way home.

The next 3 days will be easier than the previous 3 for this 'mother hen' to handle. I've seen my son and he's happy and having a great time with the guys. I look forward to hearing a bunch of camp stories when he gets home this weekend. I'm so proud of my Boy Scout!

Mixed Bag

Father's Day 2009 - Great group, huh? Yep - and I'm proud to claim each and every one of them, plus one more. Our oldest son had to work Sunday morning so he wasn't with us, but we got together later in the day. The rest of us assembled Sunday morning for Father's Day at a local restaurant with a breakfast bar. As far as the food went, we've had better, but having (almost) everyone together made up for it. A very nice waiter snapped two pictures for us - a little blurry but better than nothing.

Christopher is experiencing life away from Mom and Dad this week. He's at Boy Scout camp and I really pray he's having a great time. We'll see him tomorrow evening when the families join their Scouts for dinner and a bit of Indian lore.

Can fat women go hiking? I never would have thought so before, but I think we're going to find out. I've been researching the topic recently (Due in part to our involvement with the Boy Scouts, my weight-loss journey and more attention to fitness and health in general, and the incredible locations near us - The north GA mountains, upstate SC and western North Carolina.). The idea has certainly gotten my attention and my interest. I just don't think that summer is the best time to explore this - at least not for me. I really don't like hot weather. As a native Floridian I've paid my dues in that department.

I hit a slight bump in the road as far as my weight this week. I was up 1.2 pounds at my weigh-in. On the bright side, I have been doing this long enough to know that a one pound shift in either direction really doesn't mean much. It was a caution flag, however, for me to pay more attention to the food choices I make. It's very easy to let one's guard down and fall back on old familiar habits.

In the news...

Seems our Governor is 'this close' to being listed as a missing person. An awful lot of attention over a fairly insignificant event. The man wanted a few days of solitude - that hardly means he is MIA. I don't believe for a moment that he was unreachable. I do believe he left instructions that he was not to be reached unless there was an emergency. Pretty normal stuff - even if you are a Governor.

North Korea and Iran - both still make me wary and uncomfortable. These are dangerous times we're living in. I don't think Iran will be able to get the toothpaste back in the tube, so to speak, where their citizens are concerned.

We're saddened by the DC Metro collision yesterday. We're currently planning our next Washington trip for later this year and the Metro has been a major factor in many of our decisions. We've been fans of the train since our first visit in 2003.

Well, that's more than enough rambling for today. Time to get some work done.

Have a great rest of the week!

Weighed Down

Feeling weighed down by my thoughts today. Don't really know why. There's nothing too dramatic going on. Just day-in day-out 'stuff' of life. Lots to be thankful for, a few things of concern. but overall just plain blessed.

Our church has a new Worship Director, Chris Roberts, and I've really enjoyed his posts via Twitter and his blog, www.ChrisRobertsBlog.com His post of 6/19 was a great reminder for me on the importance of sharing Jesus with others.

We're guiding youngest son in packing for his week-long Boy Scout camping trip. This will be great for him - not so much for me. We have older kids out on their own now so I'm certainly familiar with these 'firsts.' Doesn't matter - it's the same with each one - it's still tough no matter how many you go through. Oh my...I just glanced at my son, growing up so fast, then at a picture of him on our wall as a toddler and - well, better to focus on the packing. Time for mom stuff later - without the kids or even my blog 'watching.'

Changing gears now...
Tomorrow is Father's Day. We traditionally celebrate with all the kids (and grandkids) at breakfast. I really enjoy these get-togethers and couldn't ask for a better start to a day, be it Mother's Day, Father's Day, or any day. This year we have two new dads in our family; Rob and Josh. I hope they enjoy their first Father's Day as Dads. On a less-than-stellar note... I didn't get anything in the mail for my own father. I have no idea how that happened. You can bet I'll be making a call across the miles tomorrow morning with "Happy Father's Day" wishes to my dad.

Time to close for now. I understand we're on our way to Mast General Store downtown. Boy Scout (and Scoutmaster) heaven!

Happy Weekend, Happy Father's Day, just be Happy!

A Patch of Old Snow

A Patch of Old Snow is a poem of Robert Frost's. It reminded me of a tidbit of a story my husband told the children this evening. Many years ago, on our honeymoon to the NC mountains, I saw snow for the first time. The highlight (as far as my husband tells it) was that I fell on my backside. That's the only info our kids got out of that story. A quick ha-ha all around and we were on to the next topic.

What they didn't hear was how excited I was to see that patch of old snow. One might say I was as excited as a child, but a child wouldn't have all those years of longing to see snow built up. I, as a woman in my early 30's, did. They didn't know that this was my first trip to the mountains. The MOUNTAINS! MOUNTAINS! and SNOW! I was prepared; a heavy jacket borrowed from my mother-in-law and a quick stop at the local Wal-Mart for snow gloves and I could handle anything. Ken pulled off the road and out the door I ran to that patch of snow - and down I went - onto that patch of (slippery) snow! Needless to say my new husband was getting a good laugh from my exuberance.

I wish they could feel the crisp, cold air I remember from that day. See the way the sun was shining making everything appear to sparkle in its light. Feel the excitement at finally seeing something you'd waited all your life for. All of this on top of the joy of being a newlywed on a carefree adventure! The laughter, the love!

So, while it's true I did slip and fall in the snow, it was worth it!

For those of you who stuck around for all of this here's a treat...

-A Patch of Old Snow -
by Robert Frost

There's a patch of old snow in a corner
That I should have guessed
Was a blow-away paper the rain
Had brought to rest.

It is speckled with grime as if
Small print overspread it,
The news of a day I've forgotten--
If I ever read it.

What's Cooking? Earrings and Soap, Of Course!

My kitchen has been getting a workout lately but there's been no food in sight...

Abbey has been creating "Abbey's Treasures," a line of glycerin soaps she's been making and selling recently. You'll see samples in the rotating slide-show on the right. She's quite the entrepreneur particularly for an 8-yr old!

Last night I baked up a pair of earrings... Kenneth said they're great - if you're a hippie. I'm no hippie but I do like the fun and playful feel to them. The polymer clay was baked prior to the wire and earring parts being added. I enjoy the creative outlet jewelry making gives me. It was a nice transition from the loom-knitting once the weather got too warm to think about scarves!

It's not very fashionable but one of my favorite projects was decorating a vase filled with beach sand and mountain rocks from California that Ken brought me a few years ago. I used beads to convey my take on the ocean and mountains. Basically it (the vase) has a double-strand necklace. Wow, that really sounds off-the-wall. Maybe I'm getting too carried away with all of this. Oh well...

Here's to Creativity!

Rainy Day Thoughts or 'Time Passages'

I don't know about you but for me, rainy days become 'thinking' days, or, 'reflection' days. I find my thoughts scattered here, there, and everywhere. For instance...

...Ken is taking on 'Scoutmaster' position in our son's Boy Scout troop. It's funny to think we've gone from researching luxury vacation properties to camping/hiking equipment! My warm-weather-loving husband is checking out zero-degree sleeping bags, survival practices, equipment compression and weight stats, etc. Who'd-a-thunk-it? I'm so proud of him!

... today is Elisa and Rob's wedding anniversary. They've sure come a long way these three years. It's also a pleasure to have Rob as part of our family. He's a great guy and I'm glad he's 'one of ours.' Congratulations, Rob and Elisa!

...Darrell is doing great in school. He has two courses over the summer to make up for credits he lost moving from Erskine to USC Upstate. One's a psych course and the next is 'History of Rock and Roll.' He's a pretty happy student these days!

...tomorrow is Nicole's birthday. She turns 17 and I so wish I could be there to give her a big hug. I just know she's going to take on the world one of these days soon - and come out on top. Happy Birthday, Nicole!

...so glad Shan, Josh and Kaitlyn are safely home from their whirlwind round-trip to Louisiana. There and back in 24-hours. Did I mention that Shannon left all their CD's at home??? That makes for a lot of static on the old car radio. Kudos to Josh, our marathon man.

...vacation (the non-camping variety) is still 4-months away; sure wish it was now.

...Zachary has to be the coolest 8-month old in the world! Every day brings new 'firsts,' and discoveries galore. Oh yeah - mobility, too. He just wants to go and go and go...

...The school year is winding down - some other things as well. Christopher and his cousin, Andrew, are at the end of their elementary school years... UNBELIEVABLE! ...AWANA finishes tonight and Abbey will say goodbye to 'Sparks' and move up to T&T in the fall. Christopher has just one more year in the program.

...getting ready to start our next school year. Praying I've made a good choice of curriculum and looking forward to the 'newness' of starting again.

Time to run - the coolest 8-month old in the world is getting grumpy. Seems he doesn't care it's a rainy day and Grandma is blogging.

Happy everything...

Matt-Man

With love to Matthew...

No long goodbyes;
a hug, a squeeze.

I love you, Sweetheart!
...Come back to us, please.

And just in case you ever wonder... big girls, yes, even Grandmas, do cry.

Wolfie Goes Camping...

Great title, huh? Too bad I can't tell you what it means. I've been sworn to secrecy.

Ahhh...Thursday evening, 9:00 p.m. and winding down for the night. It's been a nice day. Ordinary day. Zach is great, the kittens are playful and extremely funny, DQ aced a test, and Christopher is getting ready for a Boy Scout camping trip.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...
Our newest son-in-law, Josh, has his birthday tomorrow and we're going out for dinner. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSH!!!" ...a mere 5-days later my oldest son will leave behind his teenage years and enter his 20's. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARRELL!!!" ...and 3 days after that will be my big brother's birthday - he's Darrell, too (my oldest son is named after my two brothers). "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, (UNCLE) DARRELL!!!"

Went to Costco today for shopping and lunch with Ken and the kids. Being the good Weight Watcher person that I am I opted for the turkey wrap instead of their great pizza or even a hot dog. To my amazement (and distress) I later found out that I would have been better off with the pizza. The turkey wrap is LOADED with calories and very heavy on the fat grams. Who'd'a thunk it???

I'm doing really well on WW this time around and even hitting the 'Y' periodically - not as often as I'd like but doing better each week. It's been clear that the weeks I exercise are the weeks I lose the most weight. So far I'm only doing treadmill and exercise bike but it's apparently been enough of a difference from my usual (sedentary) routine.

Abbey's soaps are adorable and she sold quite a few on Mother's Day. She's even had a couple of special-orders. This weekend will find her busy making more. I'm still having a great time making jewelry designs and love learning new things.

Had Abbey to the orthodontist today for a consult. She will need braces eventually but not yet - that was good news. Christopher just had spacers put in this week in preparation for an 'appliance' to keep his teeth where they are - don't want them moving into newly opened spaces.

And that sounds like a good place to wrap things up for this evening.

Tomorrow is Friday and the weekend is about here - yeah! Hope you have a great one!

Too Cool...

Some 'Too Cool' thoughts for today...

Abbey, our 8-year old, is starting a soap business. No official name yet but she's purchased supplies and her first batch came out beautifully. A little light on the fragrance, but hey, some people might prefer that! Way to go, Abbey!

Heard from BF, Dawn, yesterday. Nicole is doing well these days (praise God!) and getting ready for prom. Be sure and send pics, Dawn! Miss you!

Rob and Elisa got us a terrific gift. It's a CEIVA picture frame. It works like most digital frames except you can take pictures with your phone and upload them to the frame. Share the address with friends and loved ones and they can upload pictures, too. Photo libraries can be managed online for extra-ease-of-use. Definitely too cool! I have a ton of pictures loaded on it and really enjoy watching the continuous slide-show.

Zachary will probably be crawling by this time next week. He's just about there now. He certainly is a determined little guy.

Mother's Day - Ok, yes, one of my most favorite days of the year. A little less so since I lost my mom, but with a mother-in-law, 5 kids of my own, 2 sons-in-law, and 3 grandkids it's still a super-special day! I'm never happier than when we're all together. Kenneth makes most days feel special but he even ups the attention on Mother's Day.

Weight Watchers - very cool when you're doing well on it and following plan.

YMCA - Same as Weight Watchers.

Netbook Computers - Computers that fit in my purse, boot-up quickly and offer portability and connectivity wherever you are. Cool enough on their own, they reach the 'too cool' level with a wireless card.

Jewelry Making - My newest venture and one I really enjoy. I figure I'll knit in the fall and winter and play with beads in the spring and fall.

It's Thursday - the weekend's almost here. Too cool...

It's all about balance

Balance.

Ups and downs.

Good and bad.

I could fill a page with the common metaphors. A recent dinner conversation with the kids touched on this very subject. 'Without the bad we couldn't recognize, let alone appreciate, the good.'

We pray that the down times aren't devastating but know that with God's help we'll get through even those. We celebrate the joyous times and float along with the day-in-day-out 'normal' times. If we're lucky, the 'normal' times are pretty good by themselves. Mine are, and for that I know I am blessed.

Last Saturday I sat down to write about the wonderful day we had. It was very simple. Nothing special in many ways. Yet it was idyllic to me. I couldn't get it down in writing quite right so it never got posted. I'm sure I was trying to complicate it too much. I tend to forget the KIS philosophy of simplicity.

Last Saturday was a beautiful, cool, early spring day. Ken and the kids built a secure area for our cat, Mischief, to have her kittens. I baked bread for the first time in a long while - a true simple pleasure. Favorite tunes playing, singing along, enjoying the time in my kitchen. Conversation with my oldest son - just a 'feel-good' day. Later we went out for some general errands. Silly for such a simple day to stand out that way, but it did.

Sunday was Easter. Joyous, introspective, contemplative. Later an unexpected invitation to dinner at my mother-in-law's home with my brother-in-law and his family, and later, Rob, Elisa, and Zach arrived home, safe, from a week's vacation.

Balance...

Monday brought unexpected pain and turmoil to our oldest daughter, and in turn, to us. Parenting doesn't stop when one's child reaches 18, moves out, marries, etc. There is no 'off' button to those feelings, those habits.

The week continued with less drama but with the see-saw balance clearly evident. Tuesday a trip to the theater with Abbey and her friend, Sylvia, to see the new Hannah Montana movie and a bit of shopping with oldest son afterward. Wednesday brought a midday answer-to-prayer when my grandson, Matthew, arrived. He lives in Texas and we haven't seen him in months and it was the first time all 3 of my grandchildren were together. Thursdayevening our neighbor alerted us to where Mischief was keeping her 4 kittens and we were able to bring them home. Friday was a back-and-forth battle over where Mischief would keep the kittens (she's finally comfortable with the area we built and seems content there now - as long as we keep our garage door closed).

And so it goes...an unexpected bill in the mail, a phone call sharing good news. A worrisome situation with a loved one, a better-than-expected medical report. Doing well on Weight Watchers, making positive changes in one area and not-so-positive in others. Prayer and praise. Joy and pain. Balance.

As a side note...or then again, maybe a relevant note...
As I'm writing this we are traveling on I-85 to Charlotte, NC for an outing with our daughter and her family. In a case of mistaken-white-minivan, we were pulled over. Fortunately Ken was given a warning and not a ticket for speeding. He was also given a warning when pulled over a few months ago (that time for cause). Me, well, I didn't get a warning - I got a ticket. Needless to say this is a teasing issue in our family. So, let's just say I'm very glad Kenneth got a warning just now and not a ticket that he would have to fight but hey, this is getting old

Wishing you a well-balanced week.

Spring Break

We're in the second week of April and 'spring break' talk is everywhere. I guess the weather took note (and took a break from spring) because the temperature was in the high 20's this morning. Yes, twenty-something! I guess it's winter's last hurrah since now, at lunch time, the temperature has risen to 53. The low tomorrow is 40 - back to spring-time normal.

The area we live in straddles two counties; Greenville and Spartanburg. Spartanburg K-12 schools were on spring break last week, and Greenville kids are out this week. Our son's college break was a few weeks ago. Activities such as scouting, AWANA, speech classes, and even babysitting Zach are affected by spring break so we have a bit of a lull this week. Our daughter, Elisa, enjoyed spring break so much as a teen that she's continued the tradition into adulthood and is in Florida this week. (Hey, Elisa - send G'ma some Zach pictures, please.)

Let's see...

• I had a birthday last week. It was a great few days (I'm pretty good at dragging these things out) and actually ends with a birthday dinner tonight. I was the recipient of a pedicure, purse, money, headphones, books, ice-cream maker, clay creations from Abbey and artwork from Christopher. I was also treated to lunch at a local Japanese Restaurant and dinner at my favorite little Italian restaurant, Mythos.
• Christopher and Ken went on their 2nd Boy Scout camping trip last weekend. All went well. I'm really excited about this as a mom. Christopher is learning some really wonderful skills and having time with his dad, Uncle and Cousin.
• I signed up with Weight Watchers. So far, so good - I've felt good about being on the program and it's been fairly easy. It's been two weeks but hey, every journey has to start somewhere.
• We also joined our local 'Y.' I haven't been yet (sheepish grin) but will start working that in within the next couple of days.
• Out of the mouths of babes... I recently commended Abbey (8) on her 'can-do' spirit. She was very quick to agree with me and then added 'I make things happen.'
• Oldest son registered for fall classes this morning. I can't believe he'll be a junior already. Of course it's also time for me to consider curriculum for our two youngest. Even after all these years the process still makes my head spin. I'm in a never-ending-quest for 'the best' curriculum and it just ain't out there. The 'best' is, of course, a relative term and that which is best for me or my kids may be worlds apart from what is best for another family. I know this because I've purchased about everything that others have said is 'the best.'

On a final note...

Last week I asked my son to please work on getting the screen protector off of my touch-screen phone. Before long he showed me where the upper left corner of my screen was coming off. Well, it turned out that I didn't have a screen protector on the phone after all and all his hard work went to removing the upper corner of the touch-screen! I sure am glad it was still under warranty and we have a terrific phone guy!

It's All in the Timing...

They say 'Mother knows best,' and I guess it's true. From my earliest days I remember Mother commenting on my horrible sense of timing. She's been gone close to 8-years and I can assure you my sense of timing has not improved.

In her later years my mother started sewing as a hobby. She had sewn on-and-off for years but usually for projects like draperies, school costumes (I was a great pilgrim!), etc. My left-handedness intimidated her a bit so she never taught me to sew. Truth be told, I had zero interest in learning. Lest you misunderstand, that was ZERO interest.

Well, as it turned out, Mother passed away, we gave away all of her sewing materials and then, about two-years later, I wanted to learn to sew. This was also right after the sewing shop here in Greer closed down.

During my time learning about sewing I found an interest to quilt. Yep...right after the little quilting shop in town closed up. Since then Hancock Fabrics in Spartanburg closed and Wal-Mart in Spartanburg stopped carrying fabric and cut back on their stock of other craft items.

Fast-forward a few years and my new interest in loom knitting. I remembered there was a little yarn shop nearby in Taylors - oops - they closed up last month.

Now I'm working on jewelry - I guess I better get to that cute little bead shop - and fast!

Hope you're staying dry this weekend - we've had rain for days.