Stamping Biscuits

Long Due Update......

2012-02-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

I realized the other day, it has been way too long since I've updated everyone. I think Facebook has had a little to do with that but over all I've taken the last 2 years to heal since my last posting.

The Divorce was overwhelming in every aspect touching and reaching to places in me around me that I never dreamed. Its little tendrils filling up spots in my heart and head that I typically show no one.. IF you ask my dad...."How are you today?" He resounds with "Handsome, Charming and Debonair' .... this is ANY DAY of his life..... you ask him, this is the response you receive. He believes your response as a Christian should always be 'up' I try and most of the time it works but some days... I just it just was NOT happening.

The Lord has brought me through so much pain, so much rejection and loss and ... here I am. A single mom that realizes that the changes are not over. Changes are inevitable and for a person who doesn't like change... its very hard knowing that every day things are changing. Makes it feel just a bit to fluid for my liking. :) I never wanted this for my children ( or me) As my children left yesterday with their grandfather for a weekend with their dad.. I looked at them.. really looked at them.... they hugged me, kissed me and were laughing and just happy. THAT is all I can ask. My son rolled down the window and said, "See you Monday Mom, I love you!" That always makes me take pause and treasure those moments.

God is good though and I trust Him so .... my job is to keep my children in the Word as best I can with them gone HALF the time. But I am thankful that their dad is ( or seems ) to be more involved now in their lives.

I'm so thankful for my children, they are amazing... they are really are..... hard times do that to children. They become sensitive to things around them and to people. They are so sweet to me and help me everyday with house stuff. Although not making them sound like perfect children... (lol) They do want to avoid homework to play outside with friends, they do want to avoid cleaning their rooms.. but I think thats normal.... right? But they are quick and fierce with their hugs and kisses. :)

Estes Park, Colorado / July 2010

2011-02-22T17:32:00.001-08:00

At the Stanley Hotel... how would you like to see this each time you looked out your window?

just beautiful flowers.....

fell in love with these daisies......

Patrick and his counselor......

The Stanley Hotel

this little acorn was put up to cover the original symbol put up...... which was a swastika ... before Hitler the symbol was actually a nature symbol with some American Indian tribes.. (I never knew that!)

Did you know that the Stanley Steamer land record was not broken until this century? Took us over 100 years to come up with another steam automobile that could match what the Stanley brothers put together.... They were very very interesting.

Sweet Rachel posing for me..... in front of yet another beautiful lake, trees and sky.

just beautiful mountains...... AND children! it was sooo cold.. down in the valley it was 30 degrees warmer than it was at the taking of this picture!

Rachel and her counselor..... they are singing a song..... she didn't see me taking this picture or there would have been quite a sour look on that sweet face... (lol)

We ran into friends......... Parker on the far right next to Patrick are in the same scout den, then Rachel and another one of Parker's brother... and he has two more brothers in there some where... haha.... The man in the back ground was a ... John Denver 'want to be' and did a pretty good job.. He had the children up there singing and it was so funny. Did you know that Twinkle Twinkle Twinkly Little Star and the ABC song have the same melody? The children did not... and all of a sudden did not even know the abc song.. it was so funny..

Bear Lake

Hiking up to this water fall about killed us... the altitude, we had to stop every 20-30 yards there for a bit... it was crazy.

A little friend who followed us on our hiking...

not wanting his picture taken.. see his eyes closed? haha

Camp! They started each day like this and ended each day like this....singing!

This is the Tortilla Basket song...... this is Patrick's counselor.

Another drive.... and beautiful views.....

a lake near the continental divide...

I love this picture.......... that's Patrick in the shadows in front of me and Rachel is in front of him in the sun light...

Breakfast one morning... 53 degrees and love those mountains.......

The "B" Family from our home church here in Frisco! IT was so much fun to run into them here in Estes Park.... we met at a local park and listened to a local band playing jazz.....

There are deer everywhere........

Patrick is trying to reach out and touch that tree.... in my head I'm thinking "please do not fall off your horse... b/c if you fall.. I'll need to jump down and I do not think I'll be able to get back up by myself!" giggle.....

some of the campus and lodges at the "Y"

They are always so nice to let me get a picture of them........ I love my children!

This is a very well known area... hmmm see that creek over on the left? I washed my hair in that freezing ice cold water back in the mid 80's...... I love that now I'm bringing my children here.

Finally arriving in Estes Park........ it is beautiful.

and the "Y"

our room

It has been so long since I've 'blogged'......... that I am going to start with where I left off.

I still cannot believe that the last time I posted was Maine...... shame on me.... lol

I've been going through so many emotions, problems, solutions, trials and blessings and I need to share them with you!

First we had a 2nd vacation last summer....... 5 days at they YMCA of the Rockies.. in Estes Park, Colorado...... I have to say..... one of the most beautifully located cities in the world..... :)

I know for regulars it is a bit 'touristy'.... but for Colorado- for us - our first summer vacation there.... it was wonderful. We didn't go into town very often. We stayed at the amazing YMCA.

I had already set aside the money for that trip so we stayed in one of their lodges and it was a very very nice hotel room minus a TV..... We ate on property with their kitchen providing amazing foods at each meal.

The children went off to day camp; 8:30am to 3:30pm and loved it.. they have talked about and sang the songs from camp all year long. I was so impressed with their counselors.... Patrick's counselor was majoring in Business at Baylor University and Rachel's counselor is majoring in pre-law at SMU.

I enjoyed the days with hikes in the Rocky Mountain National Forest which was only 2 miles away. One day driving to the top of the mountain and finding the Continental Divide. I also napped and read 3 books! I loved it. I also went on a tour of The Stanley Hotel where Stephen King came up with the idea for his book; The Shining. Our tour guide was a very itty bitty girl but dynamic in her story telling. She had us laughing so hard... and looking around each corner for ghost.

There was a silk scarf painting class I wanted to take... but for some reason it did not fit in my lazy days of reading and napping... haha

We rode horses one day, hiked another day and swam in the indoor pool each evening. I had packed enough snacks and drinks that all we did was change our ice in our coolers each evening.. I would recommend this camp to anyone...... they have something for everyone and they are able to provide for large groups or small family such as ours.

quick update.... Maine

2010-06-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

My children LOVE the ocean.. does not matter the water is freezing...

I cannot tell you how beautiful Maine is to me. I love the rocky coastline. I love the breezes that blow in from the ocean.

I also am enjoying our house we've rented. Along with it being a century old post office being refurbished to hold our family upstairs - it is an actual post office downstairs. We will meet 'our' postman later today when we mail our postcards we've been writing to our friends. :)

This morning I made a yummy breakfast - I hate going out and spending money when for a few dollars you can put together a yummy breakfast each morning all week! Although we've gone through our farm stand strawberries we found along the road in just one day... we'll need to find a new farm stand today! So a bit of coffee, fresh farm eggs, bacon, strawberries, toast and juice! Today I'm going to town and find the local cheese store I read about online too! Yes - this lovely post office has wireless internet - (perfect vacation for me) I'm able to keep everyone updated and I love being connected.

I'm hoping we can find a 'sandy' beach today. :) The kiddos need it. They are getting a bit grumpy about all the walking I have them doing right now! But it's vacation - right? AND we are in a beautiful state - so let's go and see it!

(this is our back yard)

Another Update.... (one day I'll have a good one for you)

2010-05-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

I've decided being single just stinks...

I've been doing better each day but a friend today reminded me something that I've learned very recently - that it just takes ONE day - sometimes just ONE thing to sorta pull the rug out from under you and remind you are single again.. and at this time when "I'm" reminded of that it reminds me I"m divorced and the person I married for forever doesn't want to married to me -forever, and then of course it's a downward spiral of being alone and having no one to lean over and talk to or ask their thoughts on something or hold hands with or cook for and leave notes too or just smile at for no reason.

In February I was feeling better and starting to 'get hold' of life or rather ME again and two friends I thought were friends for life pulled the rug out from under me and it has taken me almost 3 months to recover from - I never dreamed that friends would do such a thing. But it crushed me and hurt so bad that I hid in my house, cried allot and afraid to go out and be seen by people for knowing that they were talking behind my back and who knows what.

But I've come through that - I still don't know why it happened. I know that it was uncalled for and especially by a friend. The Lord has brought me through it and I feel I've grown up somewhat through it - and their actions really only reflect on themselves.

So now this past Friday I had another day where the day bolstered me and I'm starting to feel 'normal' again. (3 months from the last time I've felt this good) I'm excited about the summer and a bit excited and nervous about the traveling we are going to be doing. I'm excited about the classes I'm taking and realizing I am smart, funny and can still be "me" after all this time. I'm 47 years old and am looking forward to this second half of my life.

Today church was tough - I really have a tough time going to church and not being in church .. (I had nursery duty today) ... and went home to get ready for the church picnic and went to the park and IT WASN'T THERE.(not the park - the church picnic).. they hadn't reserved the park - and there was a large function going on already and NO one from the church was there... (?)

I walked all over the park looking for them carrying a huge pan of brownies and the tomato cucumber salad. Couldn't find anyone - started calling the numbers I had and couldn't reach anyone. ( - they were busy picnicking) That's when I started to crumble - feeling alone and the only one left out of the picnic .. the one NOT included .. and I felt it creeping up in me again.. I felt alone and being reminded that I'm alone.

NOW.. before you get all mushy on me - I KNOW in my heart that I'm not alone - and that the Lord is with me and I have my children most of the time. BUT... a lot of the time I am by myself and I feel Satan just uses this against me. :( It's not enough I'm by myself.. but I have to deal with him and the doubt and hurt that envelopes me)

I went home after calling my dad to cry a bit - I checked my email and found out they had moved the picnic! So I against everything in me I drove to the new park and found everyone and even though they had finished eating I sat down and made my plate and one sweet woman came up to me and hugged me and I just tried to hold back the tears b/c of her kindness. She's in her 2nd marriage and she knew what I was going through and just let me hang with her. I am so thankful for her and her openness. (my pastor came up to me after he received my voicemail and just apologized and apologized - I had to make him to stop or I'd be crying) He's a very tenderhearted man. Churches really fail when it comes to divorced people and I'm not sure why - is it awkward and they don't know what to say? I'm not sure. Even today someone walked up to us and said, "It's great to be here with my wife... but then he stopped and I could tell he felt awkward for a moment b/c he'd remembered I was recently divorced... it was awkward. I was glad he enjoyed being there with his wife... but it reminded me I was there alone. Our church is so new - I am the only divorced person in the group. So.... I'm not going to find another church ... so we're going to have to figure it out.

It's a new life and full of new possibilities. :) I just wish I was stronger - and didn't have these days that bend me so low to the point of dissolution and such sadness. This evening I am OK - I'm glad I went against everything in me and went to the picnic even though it was tough. I didn't stay as long as I would have in the past but I stayed a couple of hours and came home. My children come home tomorrow and I'm SO GLAD and I want to get some cleaning done and be ready for when they arrive.

I am going to be doing online schooling this summer for a medical billing certificate. Something new for me - but it will be my back up plan if getting a job in the school system doesn't work out. It's a job hopefully I can do part time or full time from home. So - if you think about me to say a prayer please pray for a job in the school system so I can have summers off with my children. That would be my prayer ~ but of course I'll go what direction the Lord will have me go. :)

Goodnight - have a good week Ya'll!

2010-05-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

Just some snap shots of folks lately........

My cousin Angie came over for lunch one day and the children had a wonderful time getting to know her! Can't believe she lives in Arlington and we are just now getting together! :)

PawPaw, Jenny, Calvin and AJ - we went to this yummy little restaurant in downtown Ft. Worth!

PawPaw and I :) ~ it's always a bit sad when he leaves Texas....

What can I say? The cutest/sweetest children in the world with their PawPaw - we had a picnic in one of the local parks and walk after dinner.
Paw Paw trimmed his own beard! :) He's getting quite 'independent' as of lately...

You can't see it - but there were beautiful homes on either side of this walking path.. it was so nice AND I love after dinner walks. :)

A Year in Hymns #2

2010-04-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

I am Thine, O Lord

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

and it told Thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith,

And be closer drawn to Thee

Chorus

Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

To the cross where Thou has died,

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,

To Thy precious bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,

By the pow'r of grace divine;

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

And my will be lost in Thine.

O, the pure delight of a single hour

That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I cannot know

Till I cross the narrow sea;

There are heights of joy that I may not reach

Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915)

This wonderful hymn was co-written with a close friend and collaborator of Fanny's - William H. Doane - in the line written "I commune as friend to friend" is an allusion to her dear friendship with Doane - IF a mere human can be such a friend, how greater would a friendship be with the Author of love, the Lord of all? Crosby had a talent for focusing attention on Christ and on the glories of eternal life with Him. In that way she opened the eyes of believers everywhere.

After reading this hymn - it has been in my head for days -and especially the lines; 'Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in Thine'. That is where I want to be - I want to look up with a steadfast hope - and my will be lost in HIS - b/c my heart while broken, is hopeful- only in my Heavenly Father -and for my children though;- everywhere else is I'm a bit 'gun shy'. But I have had moments this last week that give me hope for the future. There have been less tears - more laughter than in a while. I've been learning so much in Divorce Care classes and realize in staying focused on Christ - even in this divorce that 'P' and I can reconcile - not in marriage but 'reconcile' means to live in peace and/or harmony - and where the children are concerned we are reconciled - and for that I am so thankful. Where our children are concerned - we are 'reconciled' so the children have a continuity that so many divorced families do NOT have. We are not badmouthing each other, we consult each other regarding school, health and even movies (thank you Lord). He let me take them to church service on Easter even though it was his weekend.

This past weekend we had our Open House! The children planned it and loved it! -They have been wanting to have friends over for months! So we finally had our house put into enough order to 'have' people over! It was so much fun and just bolstered me; seeing everyone who came to visit and the children were running and laughing and playing for hours - the whole day truly stocked my soul with such happiness. The Lord has blessed us tremendously with friends and I thank the Lord each day for them. I thank the Lord for our new church - I feel the Lord brought them here just for me (some days)- He introduced me to our church family and put them in place a very short time before the word divorce came into my world.

So that when I needed them - the Lord had them in place! When I fell to my knees - they were there. They have helped me pack, helped put up shelves, helped move furniture and even pre-emergent for my yard! They have hugged me when I needed it - cried with me and invited me places - it is so amazing - and I am so thankful for each and every one of them.

so thankful for those who pray for me - who love me and my children and for the children's dad (yes, I am) , for family and friends.

So with a renewed steadfast hope I will lean on Him and look to the future, may my will be lost in HIS will - Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I have a plan for you declares the Lord -to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future

A New Day...

2010-03-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

Taking a break... Rachel picked our spot

just a snap shot

Rachel rolling down the hill - Patrick's over to the right..

How close can I get without getting very wet?

We've been playing with these toads since they were in pull-ups!

Is he serious? A drink from that toad? (ick)

tired thatched cottage... see.. pansies look tired..

Love these crepe myrtles tree branches...

Taking another break ... Patrick always has a 'stick' with him... never know when you'll need a stick, weapon, walking stick, gun, sword... let's see -what else was that stick today? :)

Rachel - on break checking out our map and where we were heading next.. :)

Love these crepe myrtles... this was on the walk towards the 'toads'

one of the 'pioneer' buildings.. he looks natural there...with his stick...

She loved the covered wagon!

They both loved the teepee...

Yes - she touched the fox skin... then she asked me for the hand sanitizer... :)

Can you see doing this? Not me... glad I don't have too!

So glad I didn't have to grow up in a sod house too! :)

I had the best time today with my children.
I made a whole big lunch- and packed a huge cooler (with wheels) and as leaving realized Goldie -(the wonder dog) had eaten the coupon for the park! (sigh) Nothing like being late...
I picked up Patrick and Rachel and they were so engrossed in their 'electronic games' all the way to the park. (sigh again)

The day started chilly - 38 degrees and supposed to be 62 - but so sunny and just a glorious day.

I love The Arboretum - especially in the Spring - with everything in bloom it just seems so promising.

The children laughed and ran, ran and ran some more and laughed and rolled down hills of beautiful soft green grass.

The sun was warm the breeze was light and the fragrance of the hyacinth was everywhere! I had never seen so many hyacinth! The daffodils were tall and stately everywhere and the forsythia was the backdrop in so many areas.
The park has wonderful areas for the children - They have a pioneer village with buildings (all half size) and another area is a "Texas type houses and buildings, gardens, hand pump for water, a sod house and a tee pee! We spent most of our time in these areas!
We ran into two friends today! Amazing if you ask me - with the hundreds and hundreds of people there today! One of Patrick's classmates and friends from church! :)

We did find a small area of shamrocks - so appropriate for today! There is a small thatched cottage that is starting to show it's age I'm afraid... they used to have it surrounded with wild flowers and tulips but as much as I love pansies - they seemed a bit tired today.

Did I tell that while we were standing in line - I pulled my camera out to check it and realized I left the batteries at home? No? Well - it's not something I have EVER done before and immediately thought - "drive home and pick up the battery pack?" and immediately thought, "No - it's 40-50 miles home - just let it go Tammy" so I 'snapped pictures with the phone camera and was just thankful I had remembered my phone!" :)

It was a beautiful day and the most sun and fresh air we've had in had in a while! It was a wonderful time with the children and as I dropped them off at their grandparents to spend time with their dad - someone said, "Enjoy your quiet time" ... but you and I know coming home to an empty house is the furthest thing from "enjoyable" but do you know what? I had the most wonderful time with the children - laughing and listening to them talk and enjoy the sunshine. Hugs were plentiful and as we sat enjoying our time I know that this is a treasured place not only for me - but this year I think it's going to be a special place with the kiddos as well. We spread our blanket out several times and just talked and laughed with each other and I wouldn't trade that for anything!

I've been coming to this park since the 1980's and have enjoyed the changes over the years - but this year the changes were with me and I'm OK with that today . I know that God is good. I know He loves me. I know HE is going to protect me and I'm going to make it through this time. :)

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Loss and Loss = Gain?

2010-02-26T19:34:00.000-08:00

Lately I feel like I am just losing and losing things - not buttons or eye glasses - it's the loss of a life promised, the loss of my children one night a week and 3 weekends a month and the upcoming Spring Break is overwhelming me with the loss of them over those days. The loss of a marriage that we agreed to love each other through thick and thin and good and bad and richer and poorer loss of dreams of sharing a life, watching our children grow, the possibility of grandchildren,. A promise we made before God and our family that has just crumbled around me.

The loss of my marriage is as saddest thing since the loss of my parent's marriage. its one of those sadness's where you end up on the floor crying so hard you cannot breathe - the ache in my body hurts so much I lose track of food, dates and time. The first four days without my children I walked around the house not able to breathe - seriously - I think I was in shock and cried myself to sleep more nights than I remember - How can I be a mother when i don't have my children - I know in my heart I am still their mother but I hate being without my children when I didn't ask for the divorce.... my heart breaks when they are gone. I know they are having quality time with their dad and their grandparents are very close and for that I am thankful.

This blog is not going to be about bashing him. Nothing in that glorifies the Lord or doesn't help the situation for anyone. I have two young children and we both want what is best for them - but that is 'not' for our marriage to salvaged at this time. I don't know what the Lord has for the future but I am leaning on Him for guidance. This doesn't mean I just sit back and 'wait' I have submitted so many applications for jobs and had so much rejection in that area.
Some jobs were not direct rejection - it's just I cannot work a 9-6 job and drive 30-40 miles each way - each day - I have young elementary school age children and truly feel that the Lord wants to me be more apart of their lives than breakfast -dinner and to bed. Before this - I think I was pretty sheltered in the sense I really got every job I ever applied for! Quite the ego booster that used to be! I worked hard for 20+ years and now... I've had one job that would have me driving 60 miles a day and home late every day and another one that wanted me there at 5 AM to unload trucks. :( I cannot do that job - b/c I have elementary age children AND as a single mother just cannot do that job~ who would get my children off to school each morning?

The loss of expectations is all around me - expectations of marriage, love, dreams, affection and my children, the house we built together.

The oddest loss is that of some friends - I am not going to spend time on that - but I just cannot be around people who are going to continue to 'bash' my ex or work against me behind my back It doesn't help anyone and hurts still. I am the first person to say none of us are perfect and he has hurt me to my core but I will not and cannot tolerate it for my children's sake. It is not reflective of God's love for us - and that He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we may be saved and not perish but have everlasting life with Him.I've sought counsel on this subject and come to the realization some friends just don't make it through tragedies as I am going through and I just need to trust the Lord to bring new friends into my life and heart.
(feels like Jr. High or something and I just don't need that drama right now)

So... loss of a marriage, loss of affection, loss of some friends, loss of expectations, loss of my children on a regular basis, rejection from my husband, job rejections and I am sad right now - to my soul sad with the complete and utter loss I feel.
But I know that my Redeemer Lives and because of that I can face tomorrow. I will take it day by day and sometimes minute but minute but HE will bring me through this. In Divorce Care class one of the counselors said "- divorce is not a lifestyle - it's just something we are going through right now.." . and so this is just something I'm going through - Sometimes it feels like you are walking around with a big "D" on your forehead or a scarlet letter pasted to your chest - so be patient as I find my way, as the Lord brings us through something that is so sad. AND I know He will bring us through this and may He be glorified.

I think about Job at this time - and I although I've not lost everything it definitely feels like it some times - and I just pray that in some way the Lord be glorified in the circumstances He has me in at this time in my life. I know I'm going to stumble - I am human. And I'm going to share some of my walk with you.

Take care of you and your loved ones! Give them a hug too!

Eph 3:20
Ps 91
Is 43
Rom 8:38-39
Is. 41:13
2 Cor.9:8
Rom 8;28
Deut. 31:6

More baking......... :)

2010-01-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ok - I might be going overboard for me with the baking but with the schools closed today and it being 27 degrees this morning it was a perfect morning for experimenting with a new recipe I found! :)

So... here it is: Chocolate-Cherry-Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

its from a yummy looking Southern Living Magazine I splurged on for myself!

Now- dried cherries - did not have any and the recipe came out super anyway but I can imagine that the cherries would have been divine in this recipe - and may stock up on them next time I am at the store. :)

This recipe calls for the frozen biscuits instead of making your own dough - (pretty cool) makes it very easy! I guess it's one of those 'semi-homemade' recipes :)

After the biscuits thawed we were to roll them/pat/squish them together to make a rectangle of the dough. Then slather them with the 80z package of cream cheese. (Patrick did not like the cream cheese) Had to make him some cereal for breakfast... this is normal for 'the boy'.

After the cream cheese came the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture...ooh smelled so yummy while baking. :)

Rachel was my helper and then she took over the camera when I was cutting the rolls.

Oh - don't forget the chocolate chips! The recipe called for a CUP of chocolate chips!

WoW - finished product! IT was wonderful - definitely a keeper recipe! Oh My - that's all I can say.. they were wonderful I had a big glass of milk and children had hot chocolate... nice way to start the cold, cold morning!

Oops forgot - we did a powder sugar/milk icing on top - it was wonderful pouring it over the top of the hot cinnamon rolls.

New Year... and more blogging...

2010-01-06T06:33:00.001-08:00

A new year - and I want to get back into baking and cooking like I used to do - so.... what a way to start - Dream Scones. They were very easy to make - but some new techniques for me - they had me 'grate' the butter into the dish - which was a lot easier than chopping and trying to not 'melt' the butter while cutting it up. :)

Rachel surprised me with a chocolate cookbook - now- the cookbook is not made of chocolate but every recipe in it has cocoa in it in some way shape or form so this was our first recipe to make! OH - my - the house smells wonderful right now! :)
See all that yummy butter in there? It was a bit dry and not balling up so I added a teaspoon more of buttermilk and it was perfect. Then divide the batter into four parts and then roll out and divide each quarter into quarters hence the .....

many many scones.... wish I could share them but the kiddos actually took most of them to school to share with their teachers. :)

Look how wonderful they popped up to - and so rich but not as sweet as you'd think - just yummy!

This was the moon yesterday morning - so beautiful and something I always take a moment and pay attention too - don't know why - but I'm always fascinated with the sky and it's beauty :) But I wanted to share it with you!

Have a wonderful day and a great New Year!

Random December pictures....

2009-12-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

I've just picked some random pictures from the month of December to share - it was just such a busy busy and unusual month. I won't go into a lot of details but there were so many good parts to the month that I had to share!

First - Ryan Patrick turned 10 years old! He wanted a Transformer cake and the local Krogers made this for me - it looks like a cake but...it's cupcakes put together with icing over top decorated like a cake! So - no knives to carry and forks to forget..... just pull it apart! :)
For Christmas at our home - Santa surprised Patrick with a real bow and arrow set with target! He had a blast - we've been shooting bows and arrows with scouts for two years now and he's pretty good! :)
He HITS the target! I do NOT as much as I try and try! I try to not say too much except practice practice practice - and the dog is not allowed outside while he's shooting! :)
One of Rachel's new dresses - I knew she would love - and cute little knit hat - she loves hats!
While in Florida - you can pick just about any fruit from a tree you want - star fruit, grapefruit, oranges and we found this great tree of tangerines! They looked and smelled wonderful so Patrick went to take a bite and.....................................
NOT SO SWEET.............Probably the most sour piece of fruit he's ever had ...... doesn't even look like my boy!
Rachel sat in Uncle Bobby's 1941 Chevy Truck for a picture! She's a natural isn't she?
Children and I loved the porch swing at Uncle Bobby's and Aunt Sharon's house!

Rachel making her first gingerbread house!

Later that night - still working on it........... :)
Her very first - and I hope the first of many !
Rachel and Grammy singing and dancing on a big tree - I think they were singing "Has Anybody Seen My Gal"or something - Uncle Bobby teased about putting it on You tube!!! LOL
My Uncle Bobby and Aunt Sharon with the my two precious kiddos.
Grammy and Grandchildren riding down the Suwannee River
One of my new favorite pictures of me and my girl............ :)
We went looking for manatee - Aunt Sharon saw one the week before right by their dock!!
Patrick and Lucy - nothing like a boy and his dog...
Our first snow on December 2nd. Goldie loves the snow!
Patrick and Goldie - before school
It was so cold I just drove them to school but the bell was getting ready to ring so instead of waiting in carpool line they walked the last bit to school! That's Rachel in pink! Yes - I carry my camera pretty much everywhere! :)
While the kids were at school the dogs kept warm on the couch! What a pair!
That's it - cannot believe 2009 is almost over - where has the time gone. In a year that has been one of the toughest in my life and could have been one of the worst - the Lord has blessed me with so much. My friends are amazing be it - just checking on me , helping me pack for our move, bringing me hot food when needed, just letting me cry or encouraging me. The Lord has provided me with family near and far that love me and pray for me. The Lord provided me with a house when with 5 days to move we didn't know where we were going! The street we moved to has been a true blessing - my neighbors are wonderful and so friendly - and lots of children who are always knocking on the door for my two! The Lord has provided me a church family that is gracious and kind. I would be lost with Him and those He has provided for me. God is good and His mercies are new every morning.

I do need to find a job and that is my next focus. I'll keep you posted - and if you think about me please say a prayer that it will be clear what direction the Lord wants me to head.... I want to work in the school system so I can be on the same schedule as the children - but have put applications in at a local grocery store, insurance company and now Frito Lay - so I'll keep you posted. :)

The One Year Book of Hymns

2009-10-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

Georgia Settle gave me this book - it seems ages ago - and in it she wrote, "May the songs of our Savior fill your heart to His Glory" Christmas 1997

I love this book and music has always had a way of moving my heart. This last weekend was so tough on me and I found myself crying more than naught. Speaking words I would normally never speak. I found myself so angry - angrier than I have ever been and moments later sadder than I have ever known. In the few days since the move - I've realized I am not being who I want to be - I'm not responding in a manner reflecting Gods love for me or even as a woman that I WANT to be.

In the middle of this heartbreak and loss and unpacking my room - trying to make order in the chaos I found my book - and when leafing through it I found several hymns that bring balm to my crushed soul.

I thought I'd share one of the hymns with you from time to time - today's being:

There is a Wideness in Gods Mercy

There is a wideness in God's mercy,

Like the wideness in the sea;

There is a kindness in His justice,

Which is more than Liberty.

There is welcome for the sinner,

And more graces for the good,

There is mercy with the Savior;

There is healing in His blood.

For the love of God is broader

Than the measure of man's mind;

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more simple,

We should take Him at His word;

And our lives would be all sunshine

In the sweetness of our Lord.

Frederick William Faber ( 1814-1863)

Change does not come easy for anyone and christian growth is not instantaneous but gradual. Thomas Kempis writes, "One thing that draws one back from spiritual progress is the fear of the difficulty of the labor and combat. Don't give up what you have started" I feel lately I'm in the thick of it and do not want to give up! So in this time after the move - I want my heart in the RIGHT place. With hymns and songs as well as scripture - these bring my focus away from me and the sadness and lift me to a place where I can be WHO I want to be and maybe others can see Christ also. That is all anyone can ask really. The songs stay with me throughout the day and remind me of the promises of God so that they are brought back to me again and again.

Almost time to go and pick up children - can't wait to see them today! Its rainy and cold and can't wait to have some hot chocolate cookies for them fresh from the oven. :)

Oh - and I unpacked 4 boxes today in my closet/bedroom/bathroom area!

WV Fun Part 3

2009-10-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

I love kitchen windows - and I have to tell you Anne and Max's one of my favorites to look out -

Rachel and that bubble blower; she loved it and it drove me crazy all summer long - kept getting spilled everywhere we went.. but she loved it.

Comparing muscles.... (so funny and cute - considering they have no muscles.)

Cousins - Patrick loved meeting all the 'new' cousins for him - it's so hard to live so far away.

Early game of baseball before breakfast.

Rachel caught a frog - and loved it - had trouble getting her to let it go.

More baseball....

Most of us that day...

Grace didn't know what to think about that 'other' baby on her momma's hip!

Before breakfast - Rachel sitting on the porch swing. :) She loved the porch swing- might have to get one at our new house. :)

Early morning looking towards the barn.

Morning dew on the blueberry fencing with a cool spider web - :)

I think this little blue flower is chicory - not sure will need to read up but it was everywhere and so pretty.

Rachel and Courage kept eating red raspberries from the bushes - it's a wonder they had any left to sell! :)

Looking from over the garden towards the barn... I might have to make a calendar!

Faith and Grace on porch - love this picture.

Mark playing piano - Grace checking out PawPaw's belongings - Max and PawPaw were singing

Ben flying down slide with 'towel cape' - they had so much fun playing down by the Greenbriar River - lovely park.

Mercy - swinging high!

Back at the farm after swimming.....

Cousins riding in the back of the truck to the river... PawPaw and I didn't fit so we followed in the van - and took pictures..

Swimming in the Greenbriar River - we had had so much rain - the river was up 4-5 feet.

PawPaw waving - I brought a chair so he could sit up off the ground.

That cute Katie Dee Robinson - they grow them pretty in West Virginia.

Patience, Ben and Patrick - trying to dunk each other...

Rachel asked me the other day "Mom can we go back to Uncle Max's Farm?" So it's been almost two months and she is still talking about the farm. :) I realized I had not posted pictures of the farm yet. I keep trying to explain to her that he is our cousin but she keeps calling him Uncle Max. :)

I have triple the amount of pictures that are posted - and you probably think we were there for days and days... no ~ just 24 hours! It was just so much fun and so many things to take pictures of - we loved it. There will be one more blog posting of West Virginia pictures and I'll try to get those done before we move.

Gotta run and eat - and then friends are popping in this evening to help pack dishes! yea! I'll update you later.

Jesus What a Friend for Sinners

2009-09-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

At our new church plant service Sunday night they had several hymns printed in the bulletin and this hymn has always been a favorite and I thought I'd share it with you. It was such a wonderful surprise to see it in the bulletin. It's always comforting to be reminded of it's simple but unfailing truths.

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!

Jesus! Lover of my soul;

Friends may fail me, foes assail me,

He, my Savior, makes me whole.

(chorus) Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Hallelujah! What a friend

Saving, helping, keeping, loving

He is with me to the end.

Jesus What a strength in weakness

Let me hide myself in Him

Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing

He, my strength, my victory wins.

(chorus)

Jesus What a help in sorrow

While the billows o'er me roll

Even when my heart is breaking

He my comfort, helps my soul

(chorus)

Jesus I do now receive Him

More than all in Him I find

He hath granted me forgiveness

I am His and He is mine

Hallelujah What a Savior

Hallelujah What a friend

Saving, helping, keeping, loving

He is with me to the end.

I hope you know and or reminded that He is with us when everything else seems to be falling away, your heart is breaking and the issues of your daily life is roll over you like waves knocking you down, taking your breath away. He is there, our Friend, loves us, never fails us.

WV Fun Part 2

2009-09-05T11:35:00.001-07:00

I wanted to put more pictures of our fantastic time we had in West Virginia.

I can see our time getting busier and busier as the days go by and as soon as our home sells I will be swamped with packing and trying to find a new home! :) So.... more West Virginia Fun!

Tygart Lake - Jenny rented a pontoon boat for us all to have fun on the lake with family!

I can't remember which son this is - Justice or Honor? He was so funny to watch up on the rock we started a running commentary of his time on top of the rock - to jump? or not to jump? He did jump but it took him a minute or two! :)

Cousin Mark and PawPaw - trying to look like Santa I think. :)

Baby Grace - such a cutie!

Courage driving the boat! AND what a ham - he loved having his picture taken!

Cousin Mark & his lovely wife; Faith :)

Cousins Calvin & Asher encouraging Patrick to jump... (what's wrong with this picture!?)

My son leaps........ (this is actually his second jump - and I was in the water for his first - very close by..... :)

On the way down..............

Splash! (his cousin Calvin was near by too - at his Aunt Tammy's request)

This is the crew - Aunt Jenny rented the pontoon boat on their free day from working at the camp - so it was the only day we had.... and it was 68 degrees and raining! But we were all going swimming any way right? so what's a bit of rain... - it was fun and my children are still talking about it!

Aunt Jenny rented the pontoon boat and let each child take a turn driving the boat - here's Rachel driving - she loved it and I think drove more than anyone - (she didn't swim in the lake) She learned that there are fish in the lake and decided that she would NOT be swimming with the fishes! :)

It really is a beautiful lake - and if you get the chance you ought to give it a try!

Rachel and her PawPaw - it was a chilly 68 degrees with rain and some wind! :)

This is the lake at the Kern Cabin north of Buchannon, WV - we had a blast and were there for three days! What a place to go and visit and be quiet and just enjoy each other -no TV, no computers - no cell phones. I loved it. Love the porch and rocking chairs - can't believe I didn't get pictures of the 'cabin' itself - I just put my camera down while 'in' the cabin. :) I guess I was just '''soooo''' relaxed. :) haha

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln 'spoke & wrote' West Virginia into statehood by proclamation & signature - June 20, 1863..... Saaaalute!

Rachel - visiting our Baire relatives - this creek - I used to play in as a child, my mother played in as a child and I have to tell you - Rachel was NOT getting in the water but her cousins AJ and Asher loved it and had a blast playing in the creek. My Grandma Baire's house sat just above this creek and we visited her every week when I was little - but every now and then when the rains came - the creek would rise... and sometimes rise right up to her front porch... so the old saying, "Lord willing the creek don't rise" is a very true statement.

A hike in the Kanawha Forest State Park - these trees are so beautiful - children had a wonderful time - I'm the only one that ended up with a tick - thankfully Aunt Jenny was in town so she could help me remove it from - well - that's another story. :)

Rachel met her cousin Chrissy - they had a blast - and want to be sisters. It was so much fun to see them playing badminton, barbies, watching movies, air hockey - they had a blast.

OK - there are a ton more pictures but this is it for today!

First Day of School!

2009-08-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

Oh the children are so excited about meeting their teachers and I'm so excited - I hear good things about their teachers. :) It is always nice when other moms come up and tell you about your current teacher!

The children picked out their own clothes for the first day of school - and well - it was something else - I think Patrick grew 2 inches over night!

It's hard to believe that they are in 3rd and 4th grade! Where is time going so fast - last December hubby reminded me that our son was at his half way birthday... I looked at him confused and he said, "He's 9" (!!) WHAT!? I was floored and still am , and I'm also reminded by my cousin's blog that her son is beginning his new journey this week with starting college! My dad used to tease me when Patrick was 1 that "oh my he'd be heading to college soon, getting married next - does he really think that's funny?

But sometimes it seems like it passes in the blink of an eye and like Mary Kathryn - our children are just not the person they are today but they are the infants we held, the toddler we watched learn to walk, learn to ride their bikes and now wanting to walk to school by themselves... but that child we send off to college and into the world. So take that extra moment to hug them, listen to them, play with them when they ask b/c you may laugh but they will be heading off to college soon! (as my dad and in-laws tease me) That's ok - I'll laugh too as we enjoy our children growing up. Have a great week!

2 Weeks in West Virginia... = F-U-N (Part 1)

2009-08-11T05:37:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun getting together with family and friends. The family picnic was a blast - we realize later maybe we open it up to all Robinson's but this year - our first year we just had my dad and his sisters and our first cousins - and their children. The picnic was out at Kanawha State Forest and it's beautiful - the trees are so amazingly tall - and

green. So a couple of snapshots of the picnic are attached.

Quiet moments with my aunts and uncles and the laughter with my cousins was just what my heart needed. Patrick and Rachel loved their time with family and new friends that they will now have fond memories forever.

West Virginia offers so much - it's hard to believe it's not overwhelmed with tourism - it's not glitzy - or commercialized but it's a beautiful and I'm glad some of the places I've been going all my life are still there so I could share them with my children.

Hawks Nest - my parents started taking me here when I was a child.

New River Gorge Bridge - so beautiful.

Babcock State Park - the children loved- loved climbing on those big rocks!

(** when I was taking this picture - I heard my name and turned around and saw my friend Melissa from FRISCO, TEXAS - exactly! What are the odds!? ) It was a funny moment!

Tygart Lake State Park - my sister Jenny rented a pontoon boat for all of us - Cousin Mark and his lovely wife Faith joined us with their six children! What a day - it was so cold and rainy but we were going to be wet any way... right? Check out my nine year old leaping off that big rock! He is still talking about it!

Oh my! We visited my cousin Max and his wonderful family - the farm was so much fun - my children didn't know what to do but quickly joined in with Max's children and Mark's six that were fortunately 'stuck' there with van issues! So.... ELEVEN children running around the outside the house(make that 10 - Baby Grace is still attached to her momma's hip) - laughing, squealing :) Cousin Anne -was amazing with the cooking for 16 mouths - and it was wonderful - we mostly ate in shifts but there was nary a complaint - everyone just ate and kept running! We are so glad they were able to let us visit in their busy blueberry schedule. I remember visiting this farm when they were 'thinking' about buying it - so it was exciting to see how their hands have transformed it to an amazing home and farm.

The cabin - ah - the cabin is hidden away and belongs to the Kern Family - talk about a cool place - the children swam in the lake, there's a stocked trout stream just feet away from the front door and the trees were - yes - amazing - some days you don't see the sun unless it was just right... and it had to be directly over head! Neither child wanted to leave the cabin.

Let's see - what else? Oh - on the way home we were able to stop and spend some time with Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Fred - the children loved their time there and with Leah. Lucy was being being a social butterfly. When we left there - we stopped by President Lincoln's boyhood home and birth place - it's a national park so we've begun something new to do! National Parks! The children enjoyed that - and are still talking about it too. Then a quick night with Grammy and home again, home again jiggity jig.... :)

The reason of part I and II - is pictures - I'm having trouble loading them up and moving them around -so - easier to just put it in two blogs! :) Hope your summer was as grand as ours!

Blue Grass Parkway and Capital today :)

2009-07-23T20:50:00.001-07:00

Those who know the area will be proud - I drove all the way down to ...hmmm can't remember the name of the bridge - went over the bridge and back up to University of Charleston and took this picture from the river side of the college to get the capital in the background - then found my way back to the other side of the river :) Kids were impressed when we were on the Kanawha Blvd and looked back at the college and realized where they had just been. :) (make sense?)

check out this action shot! He was bounding away from the crazy lady in the van... following him... :)
Can't get away from me and my camera............

Patrick and Rachel loved this shot!

She's till there - let's quietly walk away maybe she will forget we are here..

Why did you choose this part of the highway to stop and eat - the human is 'watching' us....

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon Texas 2009

2009-07-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

We had such a nice time - and come to believe it's only 6+ hours from our home! It was beautiful.

The children had a really good time although the horse back riding the the big hit of the day.

The sky was amazing - the scenery beautiful and the show was super!

Rachel had to go around and get autographs from all the actors - she fell asleep before we made it back to the hotel - 15 minutes away! :)

If you ever get a chance to see the show it's worth it! The amphitheatre is IN the canyon - the canyon as a backdrop and when the fireworks go off at the end they reverberate through the canyon - it is so cool.

Twilight Camp

2009-06-27T03:31:00.000-07:00

Patrick had such a good time. Scratch that - GREAT time! While it was miserable heat wise - we did have a breeze all week so 99 degrees wasn't as bad as we all knew it could be. :)

Five days of 3:30 9pm of complete boy scout fun with 230 campers! There were two adult leaders with each den...(scout rule - must always be 2-deep for safety purposes) then there were at least 2 leaders per activity plus 2 junior volunteers per activity - so.. like 300+ total.

The boys received numerous patches, belt loops and parts of larger achievements this week.

They worked in art, nature, woodworking, leather working, woodworking..again, archery, bb shooting (favorite of course) and games.

The schedule was fairly simple; arrive sit with your den through flag ceremony then on to first activity, second activity, dinner, third activity, fourth activity, announcements, taking down of the flag and then home.. and every night Patrick was asleep before his heat hit the pillow!

It was all so interesting - we learned (in Nature) how to make a compass Polar North vsTrue North. How to take readings with the compass - something I had never learned before...Goes back to that learning something new every day thing! :) Art Belt Loop - with cub scouts they typically have to do 3-4 items/activities to get a belt loop - with Webelos it's more like 5-8 items/activities to accomplish before you have achieved the belt loop.. this week - we did 7 of the 8 items for them to achieve the Art belt loop! Patrick just has to do one thing at home!

Leather working......I don't really want to think about it - b/c if I do - I can still hear the pounding and pounding that 21 boys can do all at the same time.

With 230 boys - we typically had 3 dens at each activity unless it was games then we most of the time had six dens coming together so it was a bit more fun to have soaked down sponge balls full of water being thrown at you! My fellow den leader was a mom I knew from school and she's a hoot - we had so much fun all week and are looking forward to next year! We will be working on our swaps too!

The boys had to have 'swaps' to exchange with each other. Now I had no idea what a swap is - this is my first Scouting Camp and we left town to head to KY right after school so time was out the window but we made the cutest thing... First of all - the boys need to wear a hat -b/c it's sweltering and well -it's TEXAS and Summer! so they had this cute idea of the boys swapping something they can pin on their hats! There was everything from Giant cockroaches to fishing lures, a number of people put felt and cotton balls together to make it look like a smores - (so cute) we ( I say we...it was me this year b/c we got home Sunday night and camp started Monday afternoon ) made a marshmallow on a stick - I took a white bead and put hot glue on a small stick and stuck the stick through the white bead to make it look like a marshmallow on a stick! - THEN hot gluing it to a pin so you can pin it on your hat.. well - needless to say - we will do something else next year and Patrick will be helping! :) It was fun and the boys were swapping from the time they got there till it was time to take the flag down.

Rachel and Peter came out one night during our dinner time and that was fun - Poor Rachel - she wanted to come out, wanted to be there - but as soon as she got there my little girl was totally miserable with the heat, the bugs and what?! You have to sit on a five gallon bucket for dinner? Yes - we carried those 5 gallon buckets everywhere -they were not on our seat for each station but we carried our water, our projects and anything else - Belinda had everything in her bucket.

We were supposed to sleep over on Friday but by the time Friday rolled around we were all pretty miserable so we declined - there was to be no breeze Friday night - and it's only getting down to the 80's at night so we came home and cleaned up and had ice cream to celebrate!

It was an impressive operation and I think there was only serious mishap the whole week. I think the ladies who put the whole thing together were very impressive and did a super job. We look forward to next year! The scouts are only Webelos two years then they move up to SCOUT ranking so.... the mommas get to enjoy it as much as we can now -b/c it becomes less parental involvement the next big move up.

Patrick is so cute - he told a man one day, "Do you know what my goal is? My goal is to be an Eagle Scout like my dad".... ah... tug on the heart strings why don'tcha....my sweet boy.

Camp Grammy

2009-06-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well -I've not updated the blog in ages mainly because the blog is a 'happy place' for me and since the middle of April I've not been real happy - but I was thinking about it - even though our world is in much upheaval and big changes are in our future I still want to share all that is going on with me and the kids and not all that is going on is sad. AND I KNOW you want to see pictures of all the fun things we've been doing!

So enough about all that.. so today is the week we went to visit my mom and next blog will be Patrick's Webelos Twilight Camp.

When it comes to getting ready and driving to where ever we are going I like to be prepared. On the years when I have been prepared the trips it's just easy traveling. On the trips where I'm not as prepared - of course we are always out the door later than I want and am just throwing things in the car as we pull out of the driveway.... that was this trip! :) But that's another story - we were just so busy the whole 3 days before leaving for the trip ; kids Field Day at school, last day OF school, Scouts Night at the Frisco Rough Riders baseball game and then get up bright and early and head to Grammy's... it was just tough after those 3 days. This is our second year to take Goldie with us - she loves Grammy's dog Sage and Sage - being 12 years old puts up with (maybe even likes Goldie) (laugh)

It took 11 hours exactly to reach Grammy's house and the children love their rooms she has made up for them. Rachel's looks and feels so girly in pale yellow and accented with pink and dolls everywhere. ( I don't care for dolls - never really have except Mrs. Beasley) Rachel always wants to bring home all of them at the end of the week. :)

We immediately left and went to Camp Jellystone and began our time of camping. The children love it - and they love cooking with Grammy and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. We went fishing (as you can see in the picture - they are missing a lot of rain - the pond was WAY down but the fish were there and biting) , played putt putt and watched movies when it rained. You have to love RV camping - it's made it so easy - #1 you drive into your camp site, hook up the water and set out the chairs - it's wonderful. #2 - time to leave, unhook the water, put up the chairs and pull away... :) Not like tent camping at all. Did I say it rained? My goodness it came a gully washer on the last night - thank goodness we were in a 10,000lb camper! The winds were 50-60mph and rain, lightning and thunder - I don't think the children even stirred - I kept waiting for them to come and get in bed with me b/c of the thunder and lightning but they just slept on. I am glad we were not in a tent.

We did get to pick blue berries - and I alone picked 5 pounds of blueberries at one bush! Rachel was complaining a bit when we got there and then after one minute she was fine - b/c she was eating blueberries left and right. :)

No real cooking this trip - just wasn't time. We did get to visit Aunt Betsy and Uncle Stephen and Baby Daniel - he's adorable and was infatuated with his big cousin Rachel... :) He didn't care for Patrick but he just kept watching Rachel -intently -following her from room to room and whenever she stopped long enough he was climbing on her. :) It was so cute. Daniel looks just like Betsy did at that age. Precious - and amazing blue eyes. - made me realize - no more babies...but I'll watch him any time. :)

Patrick and Rachel's cousin; 15 year old Calvin was visiting Grammy before we arrived so he stayed and drove home with us. Patrick and Rachel loved having him there. As a teenager he was no bother - except when you wanted him to wake up... ( lol) He's 6'1 1/2" and looked like a giant next to my kiddos!

Hmmm - I think that's about it - we are looking forward to Grammy coming to Texas and visiting with us next month before our big trip to West Virginia. We are going to try to get out to Palo Duro Canyon but I'll keep ya'll posted on that one. My friends Jennifer & Meg want to go to with her children so we are going to try to do it together. :)

Until tomorrow........ I'll be uploading Twilight Camp pictures!

Thanks for the well wishes and prayers.

Spring Cub Scout Camping Trip...

2009-05-24T18:49:00.001-07:00

We ran out there on Friday and set up camp and finished today around 11 - it was supposed to go to 3pm but everyone was exhausted and we only had 20 boys - so when half leave early - it's hard to have a game of Mush Ball with 10 boys... so it was called off early.

We had several storms come very close and then break up as they went over - it was good practice - you've never seen parents move so fast as to break things down and pack away before it hit. It was great weather - except for the three close calls - in one afternoon / evening. - Our Saturday Camp Fire was cut short b/c of lighting and thunder - and then as we were all heading to the pavilion for cover - it all broke up and passed by us... :) Oh well - no black bad weather bead for these cub scouts. (and mom is glad)

Our tent did not weather the storm well - it's not an all weather tent and I put the rain cover on upside down... (!?) silly momma. :) I learned how to correctly and will do it correctly from now on. I always think it's good to learn something new every day and Saturday was MY day! :)

Rachel had a blast, Patrick loved it - but of course did not care that his sister was there and was very glad to see his Daddy pick her up on Saturday. :)

We fished, they played with night crawlers, they roasted marshmallows, made smores, whittled, hiked, roasted hot dogs. Lunch on Saturday Patrick and I made chicken fajita/cheese quesadillas for everyone - they were great and everyone loved them. :) (I'm so glad) You know you put so much stress on yourself for cooking for 16 and I think the quesadillas were super!

The scouts had trash pick up at the camp grounds, exercise relays, flag football (cut short from lightning) flag ceremonies, rope knotting time and a couple of other things.

Several of our boys crashed and burned on Saturday but Friday was Field Day at school and everyone got to bed late Friday and was up before dawn on Saturday! So they were so tired - and then football, relays and 85 degrees - so there were tears, hurt feelings and just plain old crashing and burning... We think they are such big boys - but 9 years old is very young when they are hot and exhausted and just physically and mentally spent. Patrick didn't cry but he crashed in the middle of knot tying - so we went back to the tent and he slept for 2 hours! I woke him up for dinner and then he was asleep again by 9pm. :) It's 9:30pm Sunday night and I'm ready for bed! :) So I'm going to attach a couple of pictures and hit the hay! :)

This past week... and Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

My two precious children ~ we had a wonderful Mother's Day. :)

My little 'cowgirl'.....

Rachel's piano recital... it was a Spring Jean Music .... something... :)

Patrick saved his money for several weeks to purchase a skate board!

Scary for the mom but he's doing everything that is asked of him.

Out my kitchen window (which I love and am going to miss dearly) a pair of cardinals are setting up a nest. They are continually bringing small pieces of everything in for the construction of their new home.. it's very fun to watch. This was at the end of the day and the light was fading but not too bad through the glass. :) But if you click on it and enlarge it - you can see the female while not as bight as the male is just as beautiful. :)

2009-04-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went as a family to a fair in our very own downtown ---

It was the children's first time to ride a Ferris wheel - they loved it.

There was a fun house, a super slide, a haunted house, a small roller coaster some ride where you go round and round (I couldn't ride that one - we had just finished dinner) :)

There was a funnel cake but no pictures there - the wind was blowing so much I dared not let go of the plate. :)

He's Gone.........Back to West Virginia

2009-04-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

Dad went back to West Virginia today.................... part of me so sad and another part is happy for him because I know how much he enjoys his time back home. And.. he loves being home and I think enjoys the freedom of not having his daughters trying to guide his eating habits... :)

Happy Easter!

2009-04-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!

I've had a wonderful time putting together the Easter baskets for the children. A new friend of mine told me they do 1 Easter basket - and it's for the whole family.

I thought that was a great idea, but for right now they are each getting their own individual baskets. :)

Maundy Thursday service was REALLY nice. I think it was a very nice way to bring our new church together. We don't have a facility yet so we were able to rent the Train Depot in our new Old Town Square. We had people volunteer to lead the music, dad and

I brought some ferns and we celebrated with the Lords Supper.

Today (Friday) Dad and I went down to the church in Dallas where I used to work and since we showed up early it was so nice to visit with old friends and see the new things they are doing at the church. There was a bit of excitement - a young woman passed out towards the end of the service. I think she had a blood sugar problem and it dropped so low she passed out. !

It was quietly handled - people prayed , the last hymn was sang and all were dismissed in a thoughtful quietness that reflects the mood - of Good Friday.

My knee is still hurting - actually aching so bad to the point of total distraction at almost every moment lately. So when the insurance kicks in on May 1 I'll be seeing the doctor immediately. Until then I'm going to try to just take it easy.

I can't believe he's leaving ..... again. I'm always torn when he leaves - I miss my dad but I like the break of responsibility. He hasn't done very well - checking blood sugar or meds.

The children had so much fun coloring eggs - and looking for them against the threat of thunderstorms! :) We were pushing it - with the rain and as we ran into the house - the rain had begun and the lightening moved in!

(Sunday) Easter was super- I love Easter and all the songs - it's so sad we have to wait till next year for all those cool hymns and beautiful music. (Wonder why we don't have more drums and trumpets? ) Had a wonderful dinner with PawPaw and Honey & Granddad. Patrick and Rachel had a wonderful time. Patrick yesterday went up to PawPaw and told him, "I"m going to miss you PawPaw" He's such a sweet boy. :)

Oh - and here's Rachel's letter to the Easter Bunny! :)

I am at a place where all of a sudden where I'm not quite sure what we started by leading them down this path about the Easter Bunny- Santa Clause.. she put so many x's and o's and declared her love that all of a sudden I had pang of guilt as a momma.

Have a wonderful week!

Late update.......

2009-04-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

We had a blast with my nephews in from Seattle.

We picked them up on Friday from the airport and it was so fun to see them again. They moved to Seattle last April so we've missed seeing them.

Sam & Seth , Patrick and Rachel have so much fun. Rachel of course ends up being left out but that's what happens when you are the only girl and your 7 years old.

After picking them up at the airport we had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe.... ambiance is great but food is 'ok'.........

then Saturday we went to Main Event and everyone played games, did a rope course and had a yummy dinner.

Earlier Saturday morning Patrick had a Jurassic Geology class at the National Boy Scout Museum in Irving, Texas - it was super and the archaeologist who taught the class did a super job.

Sunday after church and lunch we all ran down to see King Tut - it was fun. I think the children enjoyed it. The exhibit was only 45 minutes long but with four children to me it felt like it was a lot longer.. :) We got home in time to turn around and head to church for dinner -

Dad made biscuits! and has a new following of his biscuits... :)

For some reason it's been a long week but I'm glad it's almost over and school work is almost done! :) Have a wonderful Easter!

Maybe He Needs a Wheelbarrow....

2009-03-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

On our way home from church tonight there was a couple walking FOUR dogs....

I sighed - I want more but two are plenty for me right now unless we win the lottery or something.. :) AND really two are plenty.

Anyway I regress- I pointed out the older couple walking their four large dogs...

Paw Paw said, "Maybe it's Honey and Grand Dad" (my in laws and they have 3 dogs and a foster dog right now)

I said, "No - probably not b/c Gran dad's feet hurt "

Rachel says, "Maybe he needs a wheel barrow and Honey can push him and the dogs around"...

chuckle, chuckle..... (quietly of course) (no one else was laughing - Rachel was quite serious)

I said, "Did you mean wheel chair?"

Rachel - "Oh yes - that's what I meant......... didn't you know that Mom?"

Now you ask - don't your in-laws read your blog ? yes - and I put this on here b/c I know they will chuckle too at their grand daughters thoughts... she was just thinking that Grand dad would enjoy the walk -and it if it hurt Honey would push him if it he wanted to be outside...

She's so precious. :) And if he needs a wheel barrow - we'll get him one.. :)

Love you Honey & Grand dad!

Scout- Snake Man :)

2009-03-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

He calls this his Alien Peace sign - he doesn't realize Spock had us making this sign since the late 60's. :)
Can you see my daughter in the lemon/green shirt petting this big yellow snake's head? Patrick is reaching up to pet it also....
While this is a non venomous snake - he assured us - the teeth are very sharp.... and it was striking out at him.

He was pointing out to us that you should stay away from all big and thick snakes - most of them HAVE venom.. he was trying to make a difference of poisonous vs venomous...
8 foot Burmese Python - left to its own habitat - it would never survive in the wild b/c of his color................. the boys LOVED this.

He Passed...........

2009-03-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

MY SON passed Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills Reading Test!

We just received his TAKs test results... my husband chuckled at the first one. :)

Basic understanding he had 11 out of 15 correct

Applying knowledge of Literary Elements 6 out of 7 correct

Using Strategies to Analyze 5 out of 6 correct

Applying Critical Thinking Skills 6 out of 7 correct

He is so proud and excited he waited till we got home and quietly pulled out his paperwork saying, "Mom you have to see some paperwork the teacher sent home...." In my head I'm wondering is it something I need to sign and return, or tutoring we need to work on... and then he handed me his test results along with a note from the school. :)

There is a lot of controversy over these tests - It all started with 'No one being left behind" but they've gotten a bit crazy with it in the schools. Many of us believe they don't focus enough on education but teaching the children how to pass these tests and are taught only what is on the tests. So much emphasis is put on these tests that the children and parents & teachers are upset all the time - and they start working on them be able to pass this Third Grade test in First Grade.... and of course the school's grades count towards their 'grading' in their status as Exemplary.

AND I heard on the news that they are thinking about doing away with the tests because if children do fail - they almost always find a way to let the children through any way.

We would do the same - Patrick has never tested well and almost always freezes up at tests. It started in Kindergarten and has continued to this day. So for that alone - we are excited for him. ! :) We are thankful for this teacher he has this year - she not only tests him but she looks past the grade on the paper. She questions him and says he has a good knowledge of the subject so she is working on his testing strategies and it seems to be working! :)

Beauty and the Beast...

2009-03-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

Patrick, Rachel, Calvin and AJ had a wonderful time at the play - and of course the Evangel College did a super job. These pictures came out pretty good - they were taken from my phone! :)

It was so hard for me to not sing along - I kept finding myself wanting to sing - or starting to sing and then my children would look at me... so... my children do not like me singing in public! Sooo the UN-cool Mom (lol)

Home again, home again jiggity - jig... :)

2009-03-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well - I've decided I do not necessarily like driving in Oklahoma... Missouri roads are OK - there was a lot of construction in Springfield. But Oklahoma was just plain icky - bumpy, every time you get up to 70- it's time to go back down to 35 and a stop light... then back up to 70 and then back down again... ick. It makes the 6 1/2 hours seem like 8-10. Rachel and I both were feeling a bit motion sick and I LOVE driving so you know it was bad. :)

We ARE home and glad to be here - I've attached some pictures of the children and things we did while traveling.

Discovery Zone - they loved this!

Did you know that Route 66 began in Springfield, MO? Neither did I! :)

Historical Civil War Park - they loved the cannons.

Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead... like I said earlier - they loved the fields & walnut trees

Founders Park - I thought it would be a nice place to sit and have lunch one day, let the kids run around with grass & trees..... (wrong) it was blocks and blocks of concrete.... some city park (!?)

Children's Sale...

2009-03-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

Conversation today with Rachel and myself... driving down a road - lost in Springfield, MO.

Rachel, "Look Mom - there's a sign for a children's sale"

Mom, "Do you want another big brother?"

Rachel (very quickly) "No - I don't, but we could stop and I could put a sticker on Patrick and we could just sale him,,, couldn't we?"

Mom; "No - you cannot sale your brother"

:) Miss everyone!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Show Me State!

2009-03-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

Well - I cannot say it's been a blast but I think tomorrow will be better. :)

The children are doing super. Normally I try to keep it really up beat and dwell on the big super things but it's been a tough 24 hours here...

The drive was only 6 1/2 hours but it was long... and not a lot to see or do along the way and lots of construction- and last night while we were checking in - at the intersection in front of the hotel - a drunk driver ran a red light and there was a huge serious accident with fatalities ....

This morning on the way to breakfast there was another accident on the highway - we sat there for about an hour until I found a way off the highway and around a huge accident. More fatalities This one had care flight helicopter show up while we were sitting there :(

After breakfast we went searching and found the Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband their daughter Rose. It was so cool and very interesting. I have a tendency to think of her and as the TV character but had no idea that in actuality she was only 4'11' and her husband was only 5'2''!!! :) Their home was so precious and reminded me of my Grandma B's in Loudendale, WV. :) As your family grows -you add a room, as you get electricity you add a bathroom, when they added the brand new refrigerator and it wouldn't fit in the kitchen - they cut a hole in the kitchen wall and added about 8 inches to the house in that cubby so the fridge would fit. :) It was very interesting. The children loved the rolling yards and all the trees - they were running and running around - they asked me if we could go back again tomorrow...

We also saw Sarah and Calvin play basket ball - and the children while they tried ~ they mainly played their Nintendo while we cheered their cousins on. :)

Tomorrow we are supposed to get rain so we are going to head to the Scout museum and to the Bass Pro Store - it's supposed to be the largest in the country - I'll let you know after we've been there. :) AND Grammy comes to town tomorrow too! Yea!

Wednesday Evening

2009-03-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Well you are not going to believe this - but I fell again tonight!

We had just arrived home from music classes - it was raining and windy - I had my arms full of with music books and my denim jacket, an umbrella.... well .......... while I was trying to walk with the umbrella, my arms full, raining, windy - a gust of wind came up and blue my jacket across my eyes - my open eyes - it hurt and scratched my eye - and I couldn't see for a split second but in that second I was in mid step and I stepped wrong and fell............ so..... my shin is terribly banged up and swollen I hit a planter. If you knew me - you'd not think this is a stretch normally but the garage is all cleaned up. I just couldn't see anything for a second and stepped down wrong and BOOM - I fell and dropped everything in my arms. I think I twisted my ankle too -- it's really sore right now. Good grief.. :)

So I'm propped up and have ice packs on me...... again. :)

I wanted to let you know the day started off wonderful; my friend Mary and I went to visit another friend who is working at a local coffee shop and I had this wonderful creation! :)

Life with a 7 year old.......

2009-03-11T11:14:00.001-07:00

Each morning I wake up and find things like this! :) It's so funny and cute the things she leaves around the house... :)

Also is a picture of a project she did about Jimmy Carter - that's the president she has chosen. It doesn't matter what any family member says... I think it's the fact that he has a peanut farm that she likes him! :) AND ... HER picture of him she made made me laugh... I mean really? does anyone think this looks like Jimmy Carter? She couldn't find a gray marker or crayon so she gave him brown hair saying - that it used to be brown and now that he's old it's gray....

Here also is a picture of her last Sunday before church - we stopped by La Madeline to visit with Honey and Grand dad - she just couldn't put her book down for a moment. She looks so grown up in this picture!

Stay warm!

Planning trips

2009-03-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

I love traveling.

But the children and traveling... I want to them to see all the states .... and have great memories of the trips so... we have started slowly. Mainly visiting with family and they loved New Orleans with Aunt Martha and Uncle Bob - we did the aquarium, rode a paddle wheel boat and walked the streets of the French Quarter and had bienets at Cafe Dumond. Good yummy memories.

Kentucky we've been camping and a bit of spelunking in some historical caves with Grammy and Grandpa Michael and pick blueberries and make bread and pickles and jams. Picking strawberries at the Amish farm was a lot of fun too. Another yummy trip!

We are going to Springfield, MO over Spring Break with Jenny and her children. They are in national basket ball tournament! So while we will see basket ball games... we will also be visiting their Boy Scout Museum, Laura Ingalls Wilder home where she wrote her books, The Presidents Museum, maybe the Titanic Exhibit (that's in Branson) :) I don't want to overwhelm the children but 2 things a day shouldn't be too bad . :-)

We are supposed to be scout camping Saturday 21st but we'll have to wait and see - b/c while MO is only a 6 1/2 hour drive - we just might be tuckered out.

So... WV, TX, LA, KY, NC, down.... 45 more to go.... :) Any tips for future trips?

Have a super rest of the week!

Big Saturday

2009-03-07T19:54:00.000-08:00

It was a big day! It started very early...

Peter suggested Rachel and I go to the try outs for the swim team around 6am.... they weren't going to open their doors till 8:30am... do you know - we were up there at 7:45am and come to find out there were people there at 6am to stand in line to ''get on the list'' . Goodness.... it's competitive here. They are taking 500 swimmers this year for the team! Two years ago I went to sign the children up for swim lessons with the City Natatorium and I learned the hard way.... I showed up around noon to sign them up - not realizing that the doors opened at 8am and the classes were completely filled by 9:30am! So the next year I showed up 2 hours ahead of time - and was number 12 in line! I'm not sure how many they have in lessons - I think around 80 - but only 5-6 children in a class at a time. As we left I smiled sadly at the people who showed up as we were all walking out the door - knowing that the next 6 weeks classes were already full.

Rachel was so cute, she only had to swim 25 yards - but in that 25 yards she was pretty strong and did about 4 different strokes (!) - the last 10 feet were some kind of dolphin moves - it was so funny. I think she was just trying to make it.. so there was some breast stroke, some dog paddle, some butterfly.. and then the dolphin thing she calls it... :) Some girls in front of her were beautiful in their form but took a while to get to the other side of the pool but Rachel zipped - it wasn't pretty but she was strong and fast - hopefully they will see that and recognize her for that! :)

Then Patrick had a birthday party at 10:30

Rachel had her piano recital at 12:30; she performed her first sonatina. She did very well - she was nervous and started her piece then remembered she was supposed to do her warm up so she stopped nodded to the judges, started her warm up, paused and then did her piece! It was her first recital and she was precious.

Then Patrick had another birthday party at 3pm.

I am so tired - AND we lose an hour tonight.. ugh. So - I'm off to bed to help make up that time.

Well... I've been thinking....

2009-03-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

I like to plan ahead... those of you who know me - know this does not mean I'm organized. I would like to be organized - I think I used to be as a single person. But have not been that way in a long time.

This summer is going to be fun for the children. I love planning things for the summer. We are heading to Grammy's right after school is out. The kiddos love going to Grammy's. They bake, they pick blueberries, strawberries and make some yummy bread and butter pickles! Ok - I make the pickles but we all have fun.

We are going to (maybe) go to New Orleans for one weekend to visit Aunt Martha and Uncle Bob. They've said yes, we just need to pick the weekend.

We are going to WV for more than a week near the end of July. We have so many family to visit in WV that I just don't think we can do it in a week. I don't mind the drive up - do not mind the driving around while there but boy that trip home is a long one - so if I can maybe rest a couple of days before leaving it won't be a tough trip home. We are planning on some time at Aunt Karen's & Uncle Frank's cabin and that is one of the most peaceful places on earth. I'll attach a couple of pictures from when we were there a number of years ago.

Also - one weekend - long weekend - probably 3 days children and I (maybe Grammy) are going to Palo Duro Canyon, Texas. It's so beautiful out there - we might be camping. There is a huge stage production musical they put on every year. I went out there with a girl friend one year and we had a cowboy breakfast - we rode horse/wagon out into the canyon before sunrise, and there were about a dozen seasoned cowboys cooking for us the most delicious breakfast of eggs, potatoes, biscuits, gravy and sausages fruits and tea for the ladies - oh my it was wonderful and then as they are pouring us cowboy coffee the sun starts rising through the canyon - it's breathtaking.

www.palodurocanyon.com I've tried to put this link in and it just won't work for me - but you can check it out!

That's all I have for now... but I love planning ahead for summer...

MK - do you still want to try to do a beach house sometime?

I've just realized I've gotten way ahead of myself - we have Spring first - and I want the children to see King Tut while he's in town and of course I love see the Dallas Arboretum for Dallas Blooms - it's a gorgeous sight for the eyes and soul as they have 10's of thousands of tulips blooming and azaleas showing off their color -

And Spring Break... well that's for another day... we have pretty much planned that one out with Aunt Jenny and her family.

Hope your week is going great - we are all good here; children saw the dentist today and check up was ok, Rachel has a couple of spots that have got to be watched -she needs to be flossing more often than once a month... really..? A 7 year old? I had no idea! :) Goodnight -I've got to go and floss now...

It's been a full week!

2009-03-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

I am so tired but of course hopping around on crutches is a bit wearing. Only one more week though and then 2 weeks with the brace - I'm fine with the brace - right now - it just feels good, safe - secure - and no way of my knee slipping and moving the wrong way way. :)

Patrick had his Scouting Blue and Gold Banquet Saturday night and it was so exciting! I've never been to one before and I have to tell you - as banquets go I think it went well.

We made a cake and HE WON a ribbon for it. I volunteered to help sign cakes in and there were 26 cakes - the categories ranged from America themed to scout themed and colors, height blah, blah, blah.. 12 categories.. and it was supposed to be done by the scout.. well - I have to tell you - I believe very few were done by scouts. There was one that was beautiful - done up like a scout shirt - with all the beads, patches and ties on it - by a Tiger..(first grader) - there is no way a first grader did that.... oh well. I have to let that go... but I baked the cakes and put them together but Patrick iced the cake and rolled out the fondant and cut the fondant and put it on the cake.. We were going for height. Our cake was almost 2 feet tall ! He was so proud and as I signed in the cakes I noticed that we were the tallest cake... (I was a bit excited but kept it to myself) THEN as the judges were going by - the mom of the other almost as tall as our cake walked up and stuck a flag in the top!!! They counted that so we did not win the height category... but as they were calling out ribbons they called Patrick's name for the best use of the scout colors!! HE won! Yea! I had no idea- you know it wasn't what I wanted to do - but it wasn't about me.. right? He is very proud!

When they were taking family #'s for the dinner - most families had parent's and their sons - we had 7 for dinner! Patrick is very fortunate to have his grandparents around to come to so many fun things he and Rachel are up too - next weekend we have her piano recital!

I've put some pictures of the banquet - the cake in pieces - it tasted so good. I used a Southern Living cookbook - and while it was a cake mix - instead of oil or what the box called for I used buttermilk and then made my own butter cream icing from scratch. It went over great and we brought the top part of the cake home and I took to the bowling alley tonight - our church was having a get together and it was devoured. :) So that's good - its out of the house - and someone else ate it. :) I love homemade butter cream icing.... :)

The scouts picked up food for the local food bank, we loved our visit with Uncle Dave and with Calvin and Sarah. There is a new place in town called The Main Event. I have my reservations about it - as a mother but the children are having a blast - at the ropes course and of course I have pictures to prove it. :)

Hope you have a super week! We are all doing great - Peter is working too hard. Paw Paw will be purchasing his ticket back to WV soon and I'm torn about it - I'm thinking he's getting to a place where he can't do it as well by himself but I do not think he will hear it from me since he lives with me ... you know - it's one of those parent/child things... even though I'm 46!

Did I say that out loud? oops... :)

Broken Monday

2009-02-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

Well - if you read face book - you know I had a bicycle wreck yesterday/Monday.

Silly Me... I thought it would be good to get a bit of exercise with Goldie. I've done it twice before and typically take her on the longer leash and I ride the bicycle. We ride to and from the school and that gives me 2 miles and a nice run for Goldie. She's 65 pounds and has more energy than I know what to do with most of the time. It was such a short ride I did not take my phone with me. I mean it's all in our neighborhood - so what can go wrong?

Well - Goldie was spooked from the get go - that should have been a warning to me - but I wasn't paying attention. She wouldn't run on the right side, but I didn't think about it so I took her leash in my left hand and off we went.

We were zipping down the street - it's straight - level road and made it about a half a mile down the road with my clicking her along - no biggie. But right at a half a mile from home - she spooked so much that she jumped in front of me... - she was clipped by the bicycle and she jumped to the right side of the bicycle and jumped so that she looked like a giant sword fish trying to get off hook in deep sea fishing trip. - Can you picture that ? So in that split second I yell and try to stop the bike. But of course all of this is in a split second - so I squeeze the brake with my hand gripping the bike.... the right hand......... holding onto Goldie's leash with the left hand... think about this.... The right hand brake is the FRONT WHEEL ...... so in my excitement and trying to hold the dog, stop the bike I went flying over the handlebars thinking at that moment - a helmet on my head is not going to protect my face..... so my hands out in front of me to try to stop me from smashing my face into the pavement. Pretty much all of me landed on the palms of my hands and my right knee...........

I rolled over and looked around - Goldie was just sitting beside me quietly looking around as if to say, " It sure is pretty out here - let's walk Mom"

I sat there for a while on the pavement thinking how am I going to get home from here - there is no way to I can walk home... no phone - and it hurts really bad.... I'm thinking it's broke.. I was afraid to even look at my knee. Sure wish I'd brought my phone.... that won't happen again..

I picked up the bike, climbed on carefully and rolled my way home, that way I didn't have to walk.

The doctor said he thinks it's not broken the x-ray will show us if there is damage - we are hoping we don't have to have surgery. We lost our health insurance in December so... we are praying there is no need for surgery. So if you think about it please say a prayer.....I don't want to even think about surgery with no insurance.

Crutches, ice 3 or 4 x day, knee brace and keep it elevated for two weeks and it should recover although the way I feel today I don't feel it. I'm sore from my shoulders to my elbows, a black eye is progressively getting bigger - it wasn't there yesterday and my chin is really sore too - and I'm sitting propped up with an ice pack .

I'll keep you posted........... Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.......

To Silly Not to Try....

2009-02-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

I've seen this going around and thought it was funny -

1. Your Real Name:

Tammy T.

2. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother and father's middle names)

Carolyn Grant

3. NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother's dad, father's dad)

Dennis Bernard

4. STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letter of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)

TalTa

5. DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

Purple Kitty

6. SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, town where you were born)

Lynn Charleston

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink, add "THE' do the beginning

The Green Frappacino

8. FLY NAME: (first 2 letter of 1st name, last 2 letter of your last name)

TaTa

9. STREET NAME: ( favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)

Butter Pecan Chip

10. PORN NAME: (first pets name, street you grew up on)

Bunky 10

11. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first three letters of your last name + izzle)

Talizzle

12. YOUR GOTH NAME: ( black and one of your pets names)

Black Snowflake

13. STRIPPER NAME: (your favorite perfume and favorite candybar)

Red Door Snickers

Great day!

2009-02-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Well today was a great day for the children.

Patrick went on a field trip to an Opera.... for a 9 year old boy - I think it was just time away from school. AND he's been complaining about a headache the rest of the day.

Rachel did super today - she finished all her school work that she was supposed to IN CLASS and finished her homework very easily. :)

The last couple of weeks have been a bit rough on her - she wasn't finishing any of her work - and really being quite defiant about the work. We had several meetings with the teacher the last meeting we pulled Rachel into the meeting so she could understand the seriousness of the situation. She wouldn't finish her work, the teacher would ask her to bring it home and finish it so she could at least receive a 70/passing grade for the assignment. Rachel just told her to her face she wasn't interested in doing it.

Well... sigh..... Week before last we received a call from the school and it was the teacher - Rachel had called her teacher her by her first name several times - and told her she would NOT be doing the math work that day at school. Well - come to find out calling the teacher by their first name for 7 year olds is an in-school suspension offense. ..... pause, pause, pause... "Are you sure MY daughter did this? I mean really Rachel?" That's what a normal parent would be thinking and if it was my son - I would be saying this - but since it was my daughter - I COULD see this... and it made me bit sad. So - in school suspension was the punishment but her class was supposed to go and see a play the next day and the teacher was wanting to put the punishment off till Monday so Rachel could attend the field trip. My thought was.. "No... let's do it tomorrow and have her miss the field trip too instead of a day of school" But I was re-thinking it because we all want our children to have fun and experience the class field trips.

Well - do you know my daughter told her teacher to her face and with her chin up that she could talk me into letting her go on the field trip?! She has gumption, you have to give her that~ but that was the kiss of death - then and there. So she missed the field trip and was extremely sad and shed a few tears during the day, but it has worked - We are on our second week since the incident and she is completing all her work every day and good stamps at the end of each day and everyone is saying, "We are seeing a breakthrough in just about every subject " Her piano teacher came out of class last week (not knowing what was going on at school) and said, " We are seeing a huge breakthrough in counting" It's been super.

I was never far away when she was in school suspension. I checked on her 3-4 times that day but didn't let her see me.

She is so independent and strong. Such leadership qualities My dad reminded me that I was once a little girl that in First Grade if I didn't get what I wanted I could hold my breath till I turned blue and passed out!!! I can't imagine what I put my parents through - they would rush to the ER with me, stick my head under a faucet of running water and so forth until a pediatrician told them to let me hold my breath, let me turn blue and pass out,,, then I would start breathing again... :)

So my sweet precious little girl comes by it honestly....

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T21:49:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful day! The children had a blast making their Valentine boxes and celebrating with school parties! It was fun - I'm a room mom so I was able to be apart of it all and helping the kiddos have a super party!

Tonight there was a beautiful end of the day sunset and now a cool front is coming in so it went from the 71 today down to 38 tonight - (normal for Texas Winters..) But the front coming in was so pretty I had to take a picture! :)

Have a great weekend! I received some beautiful roses today from my hubby but will have to download that picture later.

Patrick has some scout activities tomorrow so we will be running around a bit tomorrow. We'll be passing bags around the neighborhood collecting canned food for the local foodbank and then we are heading to the Scout Museum to work on a Geology badge! :) How fun!

I'll put those pictures up tomorrow!

Have a super weekend and give your loved ones a hug! Happy Valentines Day!

xxoo Tammy

Annual Father Daughter Dance...

2009-02-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

She's so pretty - in her new dress. We will use it again at Easter too.

Of course she's growing so fast we have new slip, shoes and took our time at bathing and fixing her hair till it shines. :)

She loves this time with her daddy and of course she's a bit of a social butterfly too so a dance is a huge event for her. :) I wish mommies were allowed to go so I could video tape them dancing.

Have a super rest of the weekend!

Ok... I've begun something new...

2009-02-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

I have started collecting silver dollars... specifically Pre-1921 Morgan Silver Dollars.

Now - I'm not going crazy - I don't have the means to go bonkers -but a silver dollar a month for Patrick & Rachel one day down the road when I'm old and gray will be fun...

The price of metals varies - and of course gold is out of the question right now - it's over $1000/oz right now.. :) Today a single pre-1921 Morgan Silver Dollar ranges in price from $18-24 each. Today I purchased two for $18/ea. :) They changed the 'recipe' in 1921 so there was less silver ( I think) I've got to do a little bit of investigating on this.

Here's a picture of one - aren't they cool looking? It's very heavy. :)

We started collecting the US States quarters when they came out for Patrick. And when they started minting the Presidential Coins I started picking those up for the children too!

Now that I've just told the world about it - I guess I might have to get a safe deposit box soon! :)

Catching Up....

2009-02-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday we were hit with ice - it happens a couple of times each Winter.

We don't receive a lot of snow - very little as a matter of fact, but ice... we receive a couple of times a winter.

The ice shuts down the school systems and everyone ransacks the grocery stores - it's funny - typically all the ice is gone the next day but doesn't negate the children's excitement of missing school. :) The back yard - it looks like it's just light dusting of snow.. don't be fooled -the back yard was solid ice - and I stepped out there and twisted back trying to not fall down down. The dogs were hilarious - everywhere they stepped it was crunchy and they walked around like they were on egg shells - it was really funny to watch them.

Last Thursday - it was really funny - the temperatures were up - but the fog

was so thick I could only see three mailboxes down the street - and only to the back fence - in the back yard. It was so eerie outside but by noon all fog was gone....

Then Friday it was sunny and warm again... ah.. Texas weather.

Patrick and his daddy purchased some in-line skates and have been working on it - they don't go very far but are getting a work out. Rachel tried so hard but she just kept falling down and after about the 4th very big fall her daddy sent her in - she had reached her limit and just couldn't stop crying. She worked at it for almost 40 minutes ~ I'm so glad she was wearing her safety gear! :) Made me sad to see all those tears. But she's growing up and I was proud that she tried so hard to keep up with her brother and her daddy. She does have gumption.

This coming Sunday is National Scout Day Sunday. Has anyone heard of this before? Not me - but Patrick will be wearing his uniform this Sunday to church.

We had a wonderful time Sunday night at some new friend's home for the Superbowl. It's our new PCA church that is being organized and it was a fun way to get to know some 'new family'.

And the winner is........

2009-01-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

not us... but we had a good time! :) I think he came in 14th out of almost 45 boys so that's not too bad. It's our first year - I think we will do better next time - you should have seen some of the cars and you can tell that "some parents" really did a lot.

He's home this afternoon running a fever of 99.9 and napping at the moment not feeling well.

Rachel ran around with some girlfriends while the boys did their race.

Honey & Grandad made it and PawPaw was sitting at the table near the end of the track - people kept thinking he was an official. :) I think he enjoyed that.

Have a good weekend.

Update ........

2009-01-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit busy here and crazy temperatures.

This morning it was 32 when I dropped children off at school and when I picked them up after school it was 84 degrees! So needless to say - everyone has the sniffles or cough.

We had my nephew; Asher visit for four days..... What a character!

Patrick has been working on his Pinewood Derby Car for the Cub Scouts Derby Race which is this weekend. :) It's been fun to watch him work on it; sand, paint - use a drimmel tool and hammer.

He's also been doing a beautiful job with guitar practicing and his dad has been playing with him every now and then - Patrick loves that ...(so does momma)

Career Day 09..... Rachel wants to be an artist and Patrick still wants to be a GI Joe - actually his Uncle D. introduced him to the idea of West point and that's been a couple of years now and while he's only 9 - who knows.... I told him to keep his grades up and we'll see.

I've been a bit busy too! Last Thursday we had the stamping ladies meet here and I had breakfast and lunch for everyone.

Then Sunday our new church has begun with a Sunday night Bible study - and hope to start worship services before the Fall.

Tuesday I had the book club meet at my house and there were six women who showed up to discuss Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet . Talk about fun - we've all voted we are glad we don't live in the 12th Century. We talked for almost 2 hours about this book! There are so many characters, the good vs evil is in the smallest of places to the largest ending with Thomas Beckett's assassination - so the fiction mixed with truth beckons us to look closer. Such beauty (12th Century cathedrals) came from the the rough hands of a man who drew his renderings on reeds tied together with straw and drawn with chalk or charcoal. The only real tool he had and most important was his angle thingy to make sure the blocks they cut from quarries were straight so the cathedrals could stand all these thousands of years. :)

Then today our normal stamping home fell through again so I had the stamping ladies over again today and fixed a yummy potato soup with all the toppings of a baked potato - it was wonderful. :) AND I was able to scrap book two pages. :)

Poor Lucy...

2009-01-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

Lucy had to visit the vet and has two very bad middle ear infections.

She has to have antibiotics twice a day for a week and in the meantime every time she scratches her ears she cries. :(

Not yet.....

2009-01-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

OK ~ Christmas ornaments ... not up yet.... :)

It's been the weirdest weather here in North Texas. Seriously.

Saturday it was 82 degrees, Sunday 65 - Monday it hovered around 29/30 all day with freezing rain and today was up to 60 again. The plants have no idea what to do - first they bloom, then Monday everything was covered with a thick layer of ice - all the bushes & young trees were bent in half in our yard. The wax myrtles - when I touched them snapped off in my fingers! Today - it's sunny and 60 and they are all standing up straight and tall! :)

They say "Texas Weather, if you don't like it wait a minute ... "

I know it's time....

2009-01-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

I know it's time to put away all the Christmas lights and doo-dads but I always procrastinate putting away Christmas. I love the shiny lights and colorful baubles, doo dads and soft glowing lights of the villages.

But to be honest - I think last year I had everything put away sometime AFTER Valentines Day and that is way too long. May as well leave it up till next Christmas! :) ha

So - this year I'll make a huge effort to put away all the Christmas doo-dads and collections this week. Before the children go to school on Monday.

My collections are growing - I started collecting Santa's about 11 years ago - the year before getting married and added some very cool ones this year. I typically go for just one a year but every now and then a friend or sweet Mother in Law adds to my collection! One of my friends brought me one back from Russia - it's beautiful. This one is from my MIL - the title of it is SMORES... Santa's camping and is making some yummy smores.. :) Isn't it cute?

I also get the children a new ornament each year - so when they do go off on their own one day - they will have a nice collection of their own special ornaments. My mother in law does the same with them too - so that's at least 2 a year for each of them! :)

Patrick has taken to collecting nutcrackers - so Grammy gets him a new one each year! One year for Christmas she showed up with a 4' Nutcracker! He loved it.

Rachel I believe wants to collect angels to have out at Christmas.

The collection I've had the longest is the Dickens's Village - Dad started that one for me in the mid 80's and I'm up to 7 buildings and about 10 people, trees and a street bench. It's from Department 56 and most of the pieces are retired - but they have new pieces every year so it's fun to add to the collection. .... But - next year I might have to come up with a new place or way to display them - or maybe spread them throughout a room, instead of all together.

I went shopping yesterday and purchased a new pair of shoes! Very comfortable and felt good on my ankle. AND you cannot beat 70% off at DSW Shoes!

Let's see what else is going on - ? Children are having a play date right now, Peter is out at a meeting with a contract. Paw Paw is wondering around the house - it's just too chilly to walk outside today.

I hope you have a Happy and Blessed New Year!

More Christmas pictures :)

2008-12-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

Rachel is 'done' with picture taking...
My hubby (0n right) and brother in law on left - Jenny's husband
Dennis and Baby Daniel
Me feeding Baby Daniel and my Goldie Puppy
Grandpa Michael, Baby Daniel and Goldie (she's never too far from Daniel)

Bets and Daniel - he smiles when he sleeps.. :)
Daniel is always chewing on his fingers - all at the same time.. so we tried it together.. :)
Rachel baking blueberry muffin with her new Easy Bake oven..

Me & Goldie

This morning - I was working at the kitchen sink and all of a sudden it went dark throughout the house - I went to the back door and the front was blowing through.... :) It was amazing - the temperature dropped about 20 degrees in 20 minutes and the sky went from sun shining almost 70 to dark, wet and in low 50's... It was so cool - on so many levels... Have a super rest of the winter break.

Merry Christmas with the Baby Daniel

2008-12-23T21:25:00.000-08:00

Grammy with the baby

Daniel & his Mommy & Daddy

Goldie wants to love on the baby

Aunt Jenny with her newest nephew

Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Everyone!

Christmas card pictures.....

2008-12-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

Rachel remdinded me during taking pictures that this is the season for Joy.

Oooh Brrr...It's cold in North Texas

2008-12-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

We had a cub scout meeting tonight and had a wonderful Police Lieutenant speak to the scouts and then we all did shoe print castings. It was fun and messy and in the middle of doing that we all started hearing something funny sounding... we don't hear it often in our neck of the woods... it's was ice falling from the sky!

The high today was 35 and tonight it's sleeting and a

low of 20 degrees tonight... so tomorrow morning we will all be slipping and sliding to school!

I know - you don't check the blog for weather reports... but it's cold! One day ago it was 70 ~ tonight it's 20 - Thursday it's supposed to be in the 70's again! :) The boys loved having the officer here and I hope the castings come out OK. I'm afraid the castings are not setting up like they should b/c of the cold... Every boys shoe molding cracked as the parents picked them up. #1 We didn't get to let them set up as long as they should have b/c the weather hit and everyone got nervous and wanted to end the meeting so people could get home safely. #2 it's just too cold for it to set up... arg. I want to do a good job as an Assistant Den Mom but these things seldom seem to go as planned.

The boys are having a good time though, doing and learning a lot. I look forward to our next camping trip in the Spring. There will be horseback riding and more fishing. We go through the police department later this month. That will be fun.

As soon as I have pictures I'll upload them - my friend sent her camera with her hubby !

I do have a nice picture or two of Rachel's little make up piano recital... her teacher was nice to wait. The original date - Rachel ended up with a stomach bug, then the make up date the grandparents had the stomach bug... so 3 weeks later she was able to play several songs for us!

Laser Tag Fun

2008-12-14T18:22:00.000-08:00

You know it's more fun the older they get........ although I love strapping on a laser gun vest and running around with the third graders shooting people! (I didn't do it this year - I just ran around blinding them with my camera flash in the dark!) They would scream as my flash went off and run the other way... One time Patrick screamed, "Mom....... stop" I just laughed and snapped away! These days are precious and few!

There were 1o children and he had a really good time. This is probably the last of the bigger parties....... but he had so much fun. I wanted to just have a friend over to spend the night but between Patrick and his Daddy - Laser Tag birthday was it!

Patrick typically doesn't ask for too much - he only has four things on his Christmas list so it makes you want to do things for him when he shows an interest.

He's 9 Today

2008-12-13T05:50:00.000-08:00

I know where I was nine years ago today.... changed my world forever.....

I had been having blood pressure problems during at the end of my pregnancy with Patrick and the doctor didn't want to take any more chances - I had been put on bed rest Friday and Monday morning we went to the hospital to get the ball rolling. I went into labor very easily - and he was delivered rather scarily 5 hours later. He had been in stress the last part of the delivery and when he came out they handed my little blue boy to about five nurses and they whisked him off across the room. I didn't see him for a couple of minutes but then they brought him to me and he was all pinked up! My world hasn't been the same since! Isn't it funny - how women forget a lot of things but those deliveries.... never and each one is different. I'll tell you about Rachel's in June! :)

Have a great day! We will be playing a bit of laser tag later today!

It's Chilly in Texas...

2008-12-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

It is 26 degrees this morning and wind chill of 17 degrees!

I took the dogs out at 6:15AM and their water bowls were frozen - I added more water and it wasn't 'frozen' and we went out again at 7:30am and the water was frozen again!

Ooooh brrrrr.... to chilly for me - I'm lighting the fire and going to put away all the Christmas boxes. :) I think some hot chocolate is in order too!

Try to stay warm!

Beautiful Morning Sky

2008-12-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

This picture I took on Sunday morning - it was amazing - the pinks, oranges and blues - I love the early morning sky :)

Lucy sits and watches while Goldie runs in circles around the yard... :)

This is just one of Rachel decorating the tree in the den.

Well, the book club had a Christmas Party and ornament exchange and it was so much fun!

Our host isn't going to be hosting as much next year so I volunteered to lead for January and offered a book; Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. NOT knowing what I was getting myself into over the holidays - it's a 900+ page book so we aren't going to get together again until the end of January!

When I made the suggestion of the book - I had heard some about it - but didn't really know the author or the book and several ladies jumped with excitement - one lady had just finished it and loved it - and another lady loves the author but hadn't ready this particular book! So I was a bit excited about the whole thing! I started reading it today and I can see why they like the author. This book takes place in 12Th Century Medieval England - love and hate, loyalty and treachery, hope and despair - a historical novel that has action, intrigue, violence, passion, greed, bravery, dedication, revenge and love.... :) I'll keep you posted. (all this from the back of the book!)

Got to run - my son is having trouble doing his spelling words in cursive .... I don't remember when we learned how to write in cursive -but I do remember Ms. Lollar spending time trying so hard to teach us proper penmanship.... she had lovely hand writing - AND my Grandpa Robinson had beautiful penmanship.

Enough - he's having trouble and needs the Momma... :)

Solemn Note..

2008-12-05T17:29:00.000-08:00

My Great Aunt Pauline went home to be with the Lord two days before Thanksgiving.

My Aunt Karen just emailed me - we (Robinson side of family) just found out. I think she had been living with or near her children in Georgia. So we were out of touch.

I may be wrong but I think this is the last sibling of my Grandma Robinson to pass and she was a lovely woman who loved the Lord and my dad said his earliest memories of her was her volunteer work at the women's prison. He said it was a ministry that was close to her heart.

My memories of her - of course were as a young child - our snacks at her house were Ritz crackers with cream cheese. And I remember feeling so grown up when she allowed me to "put" the cream cheese on the crackers for all the other younger Great grand nieces & nephews. I remember Christmas get togethers at her house -and playing We Three Kings on the piano and everyone singing ... I think I was nine or ten years old at that time and I have a picture of that somewhere - I'll try to find that one - it's something else... :)

I've tried to attach the email from Aunt Karen for other Dorothy Robinson family but am having trouble.

It's here!

2008-12-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

Patrick and Rachel received their letters from Santa today - they were so excited!

I heard Patrick say, " I love Santa"

Rachel said, " Santa said I was good!" (Obviously Santa needs glasses!)

The letters are so sweet and even though they came in the same envelope they were different letters to each of them! (There's a place in Dallas where I used to work - and they write the letters and fill up the envelopes with little things like an activity book, fake snow, snowman plastic ruler/bookmark, finger puppet and little stocking too! They love it. Thank you Dallas Avionics!

I also recently saw a title on a blog I wanted to share -made me smile.

Time to Clean out the Fridge.... I mean,,,, How to Make Vegetable Bean Soup....

Have a nice weekend! Try to stay warm - it's not been out of the 40's here today - chilly!

Thankful the week is over!

2008-11-30T19:47:00.000-08:00

What a great time the kids and dogs had this afternoon in the back yard!

Fun in the back yard with the dogs - Goldie - although a year old now is still such a puppy and has such a way of bumping or knocking someone down. It will get better - and we are not getting rid of the puppy! lol - (mommy against the family) I'm working on making them pack leaders too and of course for Goldie to not knock anyone down... :)

The old Christmas tree box became an airplane this weekend! They had so much fun!

Lucy cuddling up on the couch for an afternoon nap.. I love how she has situated herself between the pillows!

The children are growing up so fast....

Thanksgiving picture - I'm not in the picture because.... I'm taking the picture.... :)

Cousins ... I don't know if ya'll have seen Sarah - my sister and hubby adopted her about a year and half ago - she will be 15 soon ...she is originally from the Ukraine.

AND I've been corrected Calvin is not 'almost 6 foot - he's 6'1' nothing like a 15 year old to correct his aunt about how tall he really is...

A picture of hubby and myself... It's been awhile since we've had one taken together! :)

It was Yummy

2008-11-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

Jenny''s family came over and of course there's never enough time........

We had a super time - food was yummy and I love pecan pie....

The dogs were super and only one mishap.... I was pulling the turkey out of the oven to uncover it and baste it - and accidentally spilt turkey juice on my bare foot!!!!! Eeek. What a greasy mess... and not to mention HOT! I had Dennis, Peter and the dogs going crazy over my mess!

The turkey did NOT end up on the floor so all was good and my foot seems ok and I've always known I'm a kick my shoes off at home person and I think I'm going to start wearing shoes in the house - especially when cooking!

Hope everyone had a great day!

I grabbed only one or two pictures the whole day - I meant to take pictures of everything - and nothing! Sorry. :)

2008-11-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It's chilly in Texas

2008-11-21T17:43:00.000-08:00

My hubby finally turned the heat on - when the house finally reaches 60 degrees and his fingers are to chilly to type he turns the heater on....

All the rest of us have been chilly... we just put on sweaters and another blanket or something. Even PaPaw - all you who know him - he's wearing his sweat pants in the house... (smile) Dad wears shorts pretty much 24/7.

Stay warm ya'll!

Thursday Pack Meeting!

2008-11-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

Aunt Jenny came over with Calvin, AJ & Sarah and worked on Christmas cards! Can you believe my nephew Calvin? He's almost 6 feet tall! Patrick and Rachel are standing on the hearth!

Bobcat badge ceremony

We had so much fun! Patrick received so many patches and belt loops and was so excited. Of course they get cool patches for everything from camping to selling popcorn, playing softball and walking in the parade!

There is a special Bobcat badge ceremony and they had the parent go up with each cubscout - it was a little ceremony with the parent pinning the patch on them... very sweet.... but Patrick wanted his 'dad' to go up with him. When my friend Jamie saw this - she said, "Why aren't you up there? You are the one who's worked with him on all this" I told her Patrick wanted the daddy..... she said, "You were robbed - I would be saying, "That's MY bobcat badge!" haha lol. I'm ok - it's about the kids - not the momma. :)

Rosemary

2008-11-18T05:10:00.001-08:00

Hey MK - I finally remembered - I've been meaning to show it to you - I planted it from a 4 inch pot 4 years ago. AND I've trimmed it back to the ground once.

Weekend Update....

2008-11-16T18:33:00.001-08:00

Friday afternoon sky - as the cold front moved into the area..... cool

Rachel in time out - Lucy always goes to be with who ever is in time out...

Foggy Fall Saturday morning - 35 chilly degrees ....

Saturday afternoon hike with cub scouts - couldn't pass up this shot..

This was funny - they all were acting like they were running from the T-Rex.....

At the Natural Science Museum where we hiked - the kids loved the snake area - and this set up you could walk through the inside of the snake.... oooh yuk. They loved it.

Happy Birthday PawPaw!

2008-11-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

PawPaw turned 66 today!

Jenny came over and took him to lunch at his favorite lunch place Chipolte.

After music lessons tonight we had soup/sandwiches and celebrated his birthday!

Patrick's special gift to PawPaw was his showing off his skating technique - he'd been practicing all week just to be ready for today. How sweet is that? Oh for the joy of eight year olds. :)

Peter picked up special cupcakes from the Cupcakery...mmmmm good. :)

It's been a good and busy day.

This weekend feels like a week....

2008-11-09T16:43:00.000-08:00

Both of my children have been sick this weekend...

Rachel all day Saturday and Patrick all day today.

I'm tired and look forward to a new week.

Have a wonderful week,

Tammy

Veterans Day Parade....

2008-11-08T16:17:00.001-08:00

There were 100 entries in the parade today! Our cub scouts were #7 and followed the trailer that carried all the veterans. As the parade watchers cheered the veterans and our scouts followed they thought everyone was cheering them so they waved and walked a little taller - although by the end of the parade we were all tired - it was about a 4 mile parade - 2 miles up and 2 miles back!

Happy Birthday to Me....

2008-11-06T04:36:00.001-08:00

I know that most people think - you sorta've keep quiet and not say anything but I've just never been that way......

#1 I never dreamed I'd live to be 46 much less have the life I do - so it's always a way for me to 'check' my life and make some notes of thanksgiving and a way for me to readjust my focus.

#2 I've never really wanted to 'hide' my age b/c I've always enjoyed where I was... and try not to focus on regrets but make those changes that would turn my focus back where it should be.

My sweet children have sung to me - about being a monkey and living in a zoo .. :) they are 7 & 8 years old so it's about the hugs and the fact that they make me laugh. I hear my sisters are coming to town today too (it coincides with the Market in Dallas) I look forward to seeing them today too! I think we are having hot dogs tonight for dinner so it will be easy evening.

It's a beautiful chilly morning 45 degrees and breezy but it's going to be a nice 74 degrees today.

Patrick still needs to help me clean out the tent......I forgot my little broom on the camping trip and then he's going to learn how to fold the tent up and get it back in it's carrying case. :)

On a huge note Dad and I had lunch with the new PCA pastor for our town. He and his family have moved to town and are just meeting people. They hope to start a Bible Study right after the holidays although I'd love to have one start one in the morning NOW..... and they have the backing so 'buy the land now' because they aren't making more of it..... and our town is growing so fast. Last year I think they opened 7 new schools and this year both of my children have already seen 3 new students in each class. So keep praying!

Love ya'll and have a super day!

I Voted!!!!!!!!

2008-11-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

It's crazy - my friend voted last week so she could do it early and not have lines - she waited in line for 2 hours!

I walked in today and while the line was long - I stood there for about 10 minutes and then they asked for everyone whose initials began with Q-Z..... well.... that's me! I stood in line another five minutes and was DONE. :)

AND they ran out of stickers! The poll workers said they had about 1000 this morning and ran out in the first 1 1/2 hours of opening! I was hoping for my free Starbucks coffee if you walk in with your sticker! :)

Have a super day!

Cub Scout Camping Trip

2008-11-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Ok - I need a cot or an air mattress.... I'm getting too old for sleeping on the ground...

Patrick had a super duper - exciting - exhausting time!

We arrived and set up our camp and he went fishing, fishing and more fishing - he kept telling me to shhhh.... I was going scare the fish away..... :)

Every spare moment he had he was fishing or whittling.. .. :)

Flag ceremony and scout pledge.....

Sun Set...... it was beautiful..... then they roasted marshmallows ... made some smores......

Sunrise at our camp.... Patrick and I were up at 6:30am (our usual time)

Part of their Cub Scout Community Project - we did Beach Clean Up for the Peninsula where we camped.

Then a game of Mush Ball (It's like soft ball but with a big mushy ball) Patrick did SUPER!

Whittling ( a new favorite past time)

We actually did a lot more than this - they cooked, learned how to light a fire, they learned how to do a can opener that's on the knife, they did part of their "Leave No Trace Behind" achievement. They did a Night Hike (I didn't go because of my ankles... I forgot my brace and didn't want to take any chance) Patrick went without me. He loved the night hike. There was a relay and our Den won so they didn't have to do dishes. This morning I had the boys make the pancakes for their dads and bacon and helped them serve it then they made their own. They have to do so much cooking this year and I think we are going to have it all done by the end of the year! There was a service this morning but it wasn't really a religious - it was more a scout service with an American Indian Prayer, a talk about serving God, Community and our Country - character achievements. Then a full round of Kumba Ya........

Whoa- haven't heard that in a while. :)

Then, little fishing, mush ball, fishing, flag raising/lowering and day was about done - I'm exhausted... :) (and my back hurts, not only do I need a cot -but a cooler on wheels... :) LOL

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T18:27:00.001-07:00

My girl is ..... Spiderella....... and my boy is a NeoDessert Commando... (?) It's our first year to use make up.... I think it looks ok - it's her first year to not be something 'sweet'....

Great Wednesday

2008-10-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

Everyone had a great day today - it was just the complete opposite of yesterday.

Everyone was up early,

Lucy (dog) was very happy, hungry and feeling better

Rachel had a very good day with class and teacher (no major conflicts and focused most of day)

Patrick completed his homework in good spirits

Music class went super for everyone (of course the fact that I tediously make them practice helps)

Yummy hot grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner....

Oh - I forgot the children took their daddy to the Book Fair at school.... they had a blast and each picked out new books. After school I couldn't even get them to eat a snack or take the dogs outside - Patrick on the couch - Rachel in the chair - they read for a solid 30 minutes until I forced them to get up and practice music one more time before going out the door! :) I love it.

Tough Tuesday

2008-10-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well. Lucy our dog threw up on our bed.... (yuk)

and she smells terrible - (lots of gas for a dog....sorta've skunky smelling)

Rachel (on the defense) took a girl out today at PE... both are sore from pushing each other down and ok (7 year olds?)

Patrick did very poorly on a math test today and very upset...

hmmm...... It's just one of those days where you get through it and sigh and keep moving forward so... laundry continues, dogs walked, and children hugged and kissed goodnight.

Hope tomorrow is better.

Boy Scouts Big Time.....

2008-10-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun Saturday....

He was able to shoot a bb gun for the first time......

He used a bow & arrow and...... hit the target.. :)

He did several other achievements towards his Bear Badge.. we are so proud. (the bouncy ball thing was not an achievement - it was just for fun) LOL

He had such a great day. I was totally wiped out - we were out at the CUBE with 999 other boy scouts from 9am -2:30pm! Rachel was a trooper and has been rewarded for her patience at her big brother's big day.

Speaking of patience.... Patrick spoke not a word about waiting in line for 2 hours to shoot that bb gun.

Pumpkin Patch This 'way ---->

2008-10-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

Once again --- this is our fourth year to visit this pumpkin patch with Patrick, Rachel and Patrick's buddy - they've known each other since they were three! (in Montessori)

It was a blast and it's really too warm for October! :) They love feeding the animals, the hay ride and looking for that perfect pumpkin. :) This year they had a 'Ropin' Pen' and the boys loved roping the 'steer' ... :) Perfect for 8 & 9 year old boys.

2 BITs, 4 Bits, 6 Bits a Dollar...

2008-10-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

I know -silly - I enjoy trying to come up with the titles as much as updating the blog!

Rachel went to a cheer leading camp last week and they performed for the local high school game last night!

She loves it - I of course need a Extra Strength Tylenol after sitting in the little girls cheerleading section. Oh my goodness it was loud.

A lot of my family members are 'not' into cheer leading and have told me so... but you know - it's about Rachel and she loves it. Granted - I don't see it long term or a career at it - but she's only 7 so I think we have time to just let her enjoy it right now.

This morning it was so nice and cool outside she wanted to ride her scooter a bit, but she didn't want to put her book down... so a dedicated reader,,,,, on her scooter. Isn't she a cutie? Oh my.

Excuse me, Monarch's passing through...

2008-10-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

This last week has been amazing in our area of the country...

The Monarch Butterflies are migrating South and have been in our area for a couple of days!

The dogs (well,,, Goldie the puppy) is having fun jumping around - butterflies are pretty fast when they want to be -

I had to work to grab these pictures and they are blown up pretty big - but it's so cool. :)

Thursday

2008-10-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

All is quiet in the Family.....

homework is completed,

gymnastics -- accomplished

Bobcat Badge achievements...... achieved.

Baths taken

Books read

Prayers said

Lights........ out

hmmmmm............

2008-10-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here thinking about cub scouts and all we have to do for badges, and then I received an email from a room mom. Three moms signed up for Rachel's class. Rachel's teacher then had her baby 3 days after school started! Three weeks early! She returned TODAY.

So now - we want to put together a baby shower, a thank you party for the substitute teacher who spent the last 8 weeks teaching and taking care of our 7 year olds.

And Cub Scouts really take a lot of time and planning and effort. I think I'm going to ask the parents of the Den to volunteer to be Den Leader for a month at a time.... I think we can share that responsibility.. what do you think?

Then Cub Scouts... we had a den leader for about a day - and he backed out b/c of work. I had signed up to be the Assistant to the Den Leader. So - 7 other parents and they don't really want to step up and lead the Den. Of course everyone has ideas of how "I" can lead the den....

I'll keep you posted. :)

Weekend Update....

2008-10-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

I down loaded some pictures today from my camera... some from a week ago! Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Goldie was feeling so bad (Monday) - she just laid down to drink her water.. :( This was after the vet visit and shots... poor Baby....

Good Friday Morning.......
You never know what you will get with Rachel at breakfast... (that's one of my sweaters)
Wild Hair Day at school last week.... Patrick's hair is blue, Rachel's of course.. purple...
Lately -there are little lizards....every where...

Rachel went to a cheer leading camp today for half a day... at a local high school

She loves it - she's 2nd from left in front....

Another moon shot - this evening just over the tree tops in the back yard... Goodnight!

Wednesday

2008-10-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Only big news going on is Goldie is OK, we had a scare Monday where she might have been bit by a snake. I took her out at 6:30 AM and it's so dark all I saw is her dash after something in the yard. I couldn't see it but she kept jumping at it and then immediately backed away and ran back to the house snorting and shaking her head and later covering her nose again and again. - she had 3 of their big symptoms but maybe it was a scorpion or something - The vet gave her a couple of shots and we just watched her. We looked and looked for a bite mark but couldn't find anything. She was panting very hard, very foamy at the mouth and super lethargic - like coming in the house - laying down in her kennel and eyes rolling back in her head! I could hear her panting from across the house! Scared me. She was really quiet for a day and a half but today is back to being her happy bouncy puppy self again... I am so glad she's OK.

This picture was taken during some of her resting time - under my feet at the kitchen island, see my computer wire? I love how she tucks her front paws in ~ isn't that cute? -

Music lessons went great tonight - Patrick is enjoying guitar. I only wish he would pick it up and practice it on his own - and longer than time requested. But he's only 8 years old and enjoys it so I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth right?! :)

Have a super rest of the week!

Thomas the Train

2008-10-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

Nothing new to report.... I've started packing away the Thomas the Train toys... :(

It's sad -a passing of an era, I loved all the Thomas the Train toys - all the stories that go with each train - James the shiny red engine always consumed with how shiny & clean he was or wasn't, Thomas and his pretty blue engine always wanting to help, Bulstrode the Cargo Boat, Percy the little green engine, Cranky the Crane, . We have so many pieces of track and many little cars - not the little die cast metal ones - we have the nice wood ones! We have books and I think all the VCR movies! Just last week they came out with a new movie..... I was tempted.... I asked Patrick if he was interested and he quickly reminded me that he was 'done' with Thomas.... I'm still thinking about it.... b/c I have a new nephew.. right? lol

Patrick started playing with them at 18 months and loved them dearly until 7 years old. Seriously he and his best friend played for hours at play dates - making villages and stories of their own. But at 7 years old he decided he was 'done' with this set of toys. We left the train table out b/c they could use it for other sets of toys and they have. The tracks just recently lost their value... to him but they lasted another year. But now it's become a place to pile everything when I ask the floor to be cleared so now I"m ready for it ALL to be off the floor! :)

But with putting the house on the market - I'm going to put it all away because we are just not using it at this time.

The Thomas the Train toys could probably bring a pretty price at an auction or on Ebay/Craigs List but we decided that we are holding on to them at this time. Who knows - down the road it might be fun to share with the newest nephew or grand kids one day.

Patrick about wore through several smaller pieces (trees, stop signs or crossing guard signs) But you might be tired too if you had been played with every day for 5-6 years! Seriously - he lived, eat and breathed Thomas the Train! I would check on him at night before going to bed and pull out train after train that he wanted to sleep with that night! The thought of rolling over on one of those cars pained me....

Goodnight and have a great week!

She's Here.....and she's shiny

2008-10-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Alright - I'm so grossed out by what was under my washing machine....... - after the washing machine man removed the old machine - I thought I would maybe have to sweep - but no... I had to get down on my hands and knees and actually scrape and scrub the yucky stuff up. I even made the washing machine guys wait and I worked up a sweat!

AND I have to tell you - the guys were supposed to be here around 12-5pm today and they showed up at 10 AM! WOW! I've never had that happen before! They were quick, careful and professional and didn't bump anything. So kudos to Home Depot and their guys.

The new washer - I've not come up with a name for her yet - is so pretty and shiny and has been operating straight since 10:10 AM..... (We've not done laundry for 1 week so it's been piling up!)

Children are working on homework before leaving for music classes - it's a process - Rachel's Theory class is from 5-6pm and then piano lesson from 6-6:30pm and Patrick's guitar lesson is from 5:30pm-6pm. So he does some homework there. It's unbelievable the amount of homework a Third grader has these days - I don't think I brought any home when I was in third grade.

New Washing machine .... on it's way!

2008-09-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday while doing laundry our washing machine started making a very big 'whirl' sound - I mean really loud. It brought Hubby out of his office which is on the other side of the house. We opened the lid and the agitator wasn't moving during the wash - even though the machine was making the sound like it was..... so I called the Maytag man....

He came out and sixty five dollars later tells us that the transmission is out on the washing machine. This washing machine is only 8 years old... but to repair it (parts & labor) $800+ dollars! Eek. Well, that's not an option.... so Hubby started doing his homework. Consumer Reports is a plethora of information and visiting six different places; Sears, Best Buy, Frye's Electronics, Lowes & Home Depot... (OK five places) we found the one. It will be here Wednesday between 12 & 5pm (don't you hate that time slot?) In the meantime laundry is piling up as I type.... I can almost hear it piling up on top of itself in the laundry room... I just didn't want to put my laundry room 'on line'... :) And I don't want to walk in there and catch the socks dancing or the towels hiding their washcloths... I'm always losing those two!

My blood pressure medicine seems to be working - it took a while but it's back down in the normal range. My headaches seem to be gone and we are enjoying the cooler weather ( in the 80's the last two days!)

Big Thanks and Kudos to the grandmother for helping with a load of school clothes for the children this week! You are an angel!

Children are doing super with their music; Rachel is playing the theme from Star Wars; working on it for a recital in November. Patrick is doing amazing at guitar - and playing a piece named Summer of 59 - you would recognize it if you heard it - it's one of my favorites and he enjoys practicing it with his the CD so you hear all the parts of the music piece. I was going to see about recording it for the blog - check back! I'll try to do it tomorrow!

First Pack Meeting!

2008-09-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

It was the first pack meeting of the year and there were a ton of boys and parents. Patrick has a lot of friends there from school and after the pledge of allegiance, scout pledge and a prayer they spoke into one of those fuzzy wireless microphones about upcoming calendar events, the popcorn sales that will pay for all upcoming camps, races and outings. The boys played a game and there was a skit and then they handed out badges to all the boys from over the summer. Patrick was so excited about receiving a badge and then realized he wasn't receiving any tonight... :( I told him we would be getting one real soon - b/c we are going on a hike in a couple of weeks and a camp out a couple of weeks later. I found a couple of moms that I'm friends with at school -we are normally too busy to get together regularly so it was so nice to see each other!

This is the picture I took on the way to school yesterday for PICTURE DAY! They are growing up so fast! AND they picked out their own clothes too!

Have a nice weekend!

I received a blog award!

2008-09-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! Thanks MK! This is my kind of day!

It's a big day in the T-Family! I had my first meeting as a Room Mom for Rachel's class. Nothing like 75 women coming together to make a decision or two.... (Headache City) :)

There are three of us for Rachel's 2ND grade class and I like our group. :) And to top it off they had a drawing and I WON! It's a new shirt that has the school name on it. It's a very cool looking shirt -the shirt itself is black and the words are 'groovy' colors - since that's the theme for learning this year..(Learning is Groovy) the theme - it looks like a title from a TV show from the last 60's or like a old lava lamp When I get it - I'll take a picture.

AND I also am the assistant den mom for my son's Bear Cub den... :) We start our new adventure with the Boy Scouts this week. :) Today we purchased our shirt, scarf, hat and Patrick is so excited!

Quite handsome, don't you think? Now I have to figure out where all the badges go and attach them before Thursday's meeting!

I See the Moon, the Moon Sees Me...

2008-09-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

I love the sky and all beauty it shares, the clouds, the sunrise, sunset, the moon and stars... tonight when taking the dogs out - there was this big orangey-red moon. Can you believe how beautiful it is?

I'm so impressed the digital camera can take a picture like this - I love it.

Well, a little bit going on in our world.

The children had their haircut today - in preparation for school pictures this week! :) I don't think I'm happy with Rachel's I asked for a 'bob' and she gave it all kinds of layers like a stack in the back - but it's short enough that we can't really do anything right now. hmmmph...

My hubby has said we need to put our house on the market..... come spring. :( I'm so sad. I love our home, our neighborhood and my friends and the children's friends that are within walking distance. We may not have to leave the neighborhood but we will definitely be moving..

I have good news and bad news on the health side of my world... the doctor called and all my tests came back normal! All blood, urine are in normal parameters. My thyroid is fine. Cholesterol is fine. Heart is fine. So... we changed the dosage b/c while it was lower it wasn't low enough to be in the healthy range. So I'm going to stick to the medicine and visit the doctor again in a couple of weeks. We still have to figure out why it spiked up so high. I really was so afraid I was having a stroke or something. Thanks for your prayers.

The weather has been wonderful - in the low 80's during the day and in the upper 50's at night - I love it. :) It's made it very easy to walk and ride bikes to and from school. It's amazing how light your heart can feel when there's a breeze in the air and the children are laughing. We've been throwing a frisbee lately and they just laugh and laugh and we run all over the back yard. I'll be sad to leave this yard. You've seen it in all the pictures. It has real (established) trees the children love running and playing cowboys & army I'm not going to dwell on it, just start cleaning out closets and getting ready.

Have a good Lord's Day tomorrow!

xoxo

Thursday updates

2008-09-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

I've no real updates - I thought the follow up visit with the doctor would be more enlightening for me and for us all but none of the test results were back so... we wait.

While the medicine is working my blood pressure is still too high so the doctor is adjusting the medicine. :) I'm OK to back to working out and lifting weights. He wants to see me back in a month for more blood work to check my electrolytes.

So... for now... no news.