tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3507163419445810572024-03-14T03:47:21.767-07:00Living Out Loud"...this is life we've been given, made to be lived out so la la la la live out loud." Steven Curtis ChapmanUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-53140127886867262482010-12-08T13:06:00.000-08:002010-12-08T13:48:15.577-08:00She Can't Be Nine!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0dwAlt4Feoft14M2PaxmohogBOvw-GSukK-eL3f_w7LKMM8YE50HGDITjukAi1uPovtN5qU-gS0DHC7dptf7yZHQ_ZTdRKoux9ksEaj5AnvVggf5MrzW6EdKHgjzBhSTQBnfjU8PddQ/s1600/DSC_0684.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 188px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548430252757442850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0dwAlt4Feoft14M2PaxmohogBOvw-GSukK-eL3f_w7LKMM8YE50HGDITjukAi1uPovtN5qU-gS0DHC7dptf7yZHQ_ZTdRKoux9ksEaj5AnvVggf5MrzW6EdKHgjzBhSTQBnfjU8PddQ/s200/DSC_0684.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9PPpfT6EFOwGh6-7NOqVv5FiqLA3qH6GXj5zpbhqA9MS6pkS5Krn82XWgFKDUUDX-L3_-jjmhndJITScI-7xKixvqAeimR8VQsHTmVdmiwTi12KTEqRsmTVEWAfiINergHyu102Sv5Q/s1600/DSC_0685.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548430247339736690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9PPpfT6EFOwGh6-7NOqVv5FiqLA3qH6GXj5zpbhqA9MS6pkS5Krn82XWgFKDUUDX-L3_-jjmhndJITScI-7xKixvqAeimR8VQsHTmVdmiwTi12KTEqRsmTVEWAfiINergHyu102Sv5Q/s200/DSC_0685.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>It's hard to believe, but my little girl is now 9 years old! (She has been for a few weeks, but I'm a little behind.) Wow! Where did time go?!?! </div><br /><div></div><div>In interviewing her, this is what she said was her favorite...</div><br /><div>food - Chinese (Sesame Chicken)</div><div>color - Green</div><div>song - Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone</div><div>tv Show - Phineas and Ferb because they build cool stuff</div><div>movie - Aladdin</div><div>Bible verse - Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in </div><div>Christ Jesus our Lord.</div><div>thing to do with mom - shop</div><div>thing to do with dad - ride in the red truck with him</div><div>thing to do with C. - build with Legos</div><div>toy - Chopsticks (a stuffed red monkey beanie baby)</div><div>animal - panda</div><div>bff -Abby, Star, Hannah</div><div>place to go - beach</div><div>thing to do at beach - play with Lily & Peyton and build sand castles around Papa's feet</div><div>thing to do in the mountains - ride The Scrambler at Dollywood</div><div>number - 9</div><div>sports team - Clemson because Mom graduated from CU</div><div>meat - chicken</div><div>veggie - lettuce (iceberg)</div><div>ice cream - cookies and cream </div><div>dessert - peanut butter pie</div><div>pizza - meatball (hamburger)</div><div>cake - chocolate pound cake</div><div>drink - grape Fanta</div><div>place to eat - China Inn</div><div>game - Hide & Seek</div><div>sport - soccer</div><div>thing to wear - shirts and dresses (navy blue dress)</div><div>person you most admire - Mom</div><div></div><br /><div>S., it's so hard to believe that you're already nine. You are a sweet young lady, and God is going to do great things in you and through you. I love to hear you laugh. You are becoming such a good helper to me, and you are learning so much! Thank you! I know you enjoyed your birthday, especially going to Dollywood. Your dad and I love you so much, and we are enjoying watching you grow up. Keep your focus on Jesus, and please Him in all that you do. We love you!!!</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-8518342268008196842010-11-05T20:44:00.000-07:002010-11-05T21:19:39.126-07:00An UpdateAt the end of August I blogged about something just not working with the curriculum we were using. I THOUGHT it was the next book we were doing in the Little Hearts series, so I decided to "piece" together our own curriculum. I was excited, but in the meantime while I waited for our new books to arrive, we plugged along with Bigger Hearts For His Glory. Guess what?!?! We actually fell into a groove...AND enjoyed it. I think what it really all boiled down to this year was that I had been so up in the air as what to use this year until right down to the wire, I second guessed everything. I had never understood noteboooking or had any experience in it, and in her curriculum there's at least one day a week when we do notebooking. I was kind of put out by that. Not because it was hard, but it was NEW to me, and frankly, it frightened me a little. <br /><br />Even though we have now found our groove, something still just was not clicking. We are getting tired of "schooling"...ALL of us! And I mean literally tired! It takes us AT LEAST 6 hours to finish everything, and that's for a second and a third grader! My husbby and I have been exhausted because it takes all day to get school finished. My house is a wreck, and I haven't felt at peace because I have not had time to do anything. A few weeks ago, I knew what has been our problem....MATH! I was bound and determined to use Saxon math this year because I really liked the concept of it, and thought it would be good for my little darlings. However, that's where all our time is going!! It takes me about 1 1/2 hours with each child to just complete math beacuse the home version of Saxon is set up to have a one on one meeting EVERY day that repeats the same things EVERY day!!! After that, I introduce a new skill, etc. My little darlings have not complained at all about the time it's taken to finish all our school work, but like I said, it's just not bringing a peace like it has in the past. <br /><br />I've been praying for wisdom and for God to guide me in what to use for math for them so that I don't have 3 hours of my day tied up with just one subject. I wasn't sure what direction to go, but yesterday evening when we finally got finished with everything about 6:00 pm, my hubby said we were going to have to do something about school lasting so long. (He had spent his last 2 days off helping me teach, and he hadn't had time to do much of anything else either!) He made a suggestion after that, and I offered a suggestion, too. He told me to go ahead and order what I had suggested because it's actually what we have used every year since we began homeschooling, and it's what Bigger Hearts suggests to use, however, her curriculum is flexible so one can use whatever he/she chooses. I felt like a BOULDER had been lifted off of my shoulders...AND I felt a PEACE!!! <br /><br />So now we are waiting for our new math curriculum to arrive, but we'll continue to use Saxon until it does. And I will probably continue using PARTS of it with the new book, because I DO like Saxon, it's just too time consuming for us. And isn't that what homeschooling is about - doing what's right for your family? <br /><br />I hope the coming homeschooling years are not like this one!!! But that's how we learn! =)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-6421006327472423672010-11-05T20:42:00.001-07:002010-11-05T20:42:50.511-07:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-76784800926896857882010-09-12T18:47:00.000-07:002010-09-12T20:55:23.099-07:00Happy Birthday, C.!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish9EU3Z-CBjnoxxzNe4tuJiRiDvhSflbVsbCti-mv7TnOQ0Y5-EWOlyArPaBaEWwp4aGd4UOQOuD4CeUicYA-sYhmRTlg4TZrVUIibNV8x_ExVYsN0JxdzsYCgviSK09RfrPjFytM6qc/s1600/2010_09_11+021.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516238567949757826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish9EU3Z-CBjnoxxzNe4tuJiRiDvhSflbVsbCti-mv7TnOQ0Y5-EWOlyArPaBaEWwp4aGd4UOQOuD4CeUicYA-sYhmRTlg4TZrVUIibNV8x_ExVYsN0JxdzsYCgviSK09RfrPjFytM6qc/s200/2010_09_11+021.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQlMt4v14PAZ6z6TsLTgg0MZvJxqAVvkRMkHTBrFLUxu2EpH0NMwOQDu1109OWd-LXYP97WKaXqEqGzqgzh8mf5Tb9CdJuNUzGR4Rpfb32hh434sUSA1K5ZJOzeKB86wZb9ODFrEvtgA/s1600/2010_09_11+022.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516238554156822802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQlMt4v14PAZ6z6TsLTgg0MZvJxqAVvkRMkHTBrFLUxu2EpH0NMwOQDu1109OWd-LXYP97WKaXqEqGzqgzh8mf5Tb9CdJuNUzGR4Rpfb32hh434sUSA1K5ZJOzeKB86wZb9ODFrEvtgA/s200/2010_09_11+022.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDL3HCrWlLw7txZEyzpzaIdQ0r0971JTOwlQYFvEXeZlRlWAEv9BiCRFYrBMiyCgw8YzPkcN5XrAW78n6l9wXD1-fQqSK-wyqWb5-WulOtCFzssDnL-mQYPYQjVcNaPjljZivRo3Zv7C4/s1600/2010_09_11+029.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516238549210184706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDL3HCrWlLw7txZEyzpzaIdQ0r0971JTOwlQYFvEXeZlRlWAEv9BiCRFYrBMiyCgw8YzPkcN5XrAW78n6l9wXD1-fQqSK-wyqWb5-WulOtCFzssDnL-mQYPYQjVcNaPjljZivRo3Zv7C4/s200/2010_09_11+029.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MiPFPBDxTvjPYugGBB8pWtyodSnZXYH3QuoqTEDNEDz0DJ8Rw_CM4-3qrLId5G2TKKBov9VlPcHs30I4PPig76k3gAiomFb0rP_FmCdjTKORo3Q9BZWIpiGb-yBsaxGaIiDQnXKBpwg/s1600/2010_09_11+030.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516238539314069954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MiPFPBDxTvjPYugGBB8pWtyodSnZXYH3QuoqTEDNEDz0DJ8Rw_CM4-3qrLId5G2TKKBov9VlPcHs30I4PPig76k3gAiomFb0rP_FmCdjTKORo3Q9BZWIpiGb-yBsaxGaIiDQnXKBpwg/s200/2010_09_11+030.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div>C. turned 8 yesterday, and out of all the places he had to choose from, he wanted to eat at Taco Bell. I mean he didn't even want to go to a "real" Mexican restaurant. Without trying to sway him, I named every restaurant in our whole town just in case he had forgotten any, and he STILL chose Taco Bell. It was his birthday and his choice, so we all obliged.<br /><br />I should have started interviews several years ago, but I didn't, so I wanted to go ahead and start doing it this year since children change so much over time. Here are the replies of a certain 8 year old boy:<br /><br />What is your favorite...<br />Food? Cheese Pizza<br />Color? blue...AND green<br />Song? Jesus Loves Me<br />TV Show? Phineas and Ferb Why? because they build things like me<br />Movie? Fireproof<br />Bible Verse? John 3:16<br />Toy? Legos and big fire truck<br />Animal? dog, cat, and lion<br />Friend? Austin and Aaron<br />Meat? turkey<br />Veggie? tomatoes<br />Ice Cream? chocolate chip cookie dough<br />Dessert? brownies<br />Cake? chocolate with chocolate icing and chocolate sprinkles<br />Drink? green tea<br />Automobile? blue 4 door Dodge "dually" truck<br />Game? Wii Baseball<br />Number? 100 Why? because I might die then and go to Heaven<br />Sport's team? Carolina Panthers Why? because they're famous and cool<br />Thing to Wear? "All of my clothes because without them I would be naked."<br />Sport? baseball<br />Place to Eat? Pizza Hut<br />Person You Most Admire? Dad<br />Thing to Do with Mom? go shopping<br />Thing to Do with Dad? sit in his lap and watch tv<br />Thing to Do with S.? build with Legos<br />Place to Go? Monkey Joe's<br />Thing to Do at the Beach? play in the ocean on my boogie board<br />Thing to Do in the Mountains? ride bumper cars at Dollywood<br /><br />I hope your birthday was great!!! You are becoming such a sweet young man, and I know God has very special plans for your life. You are <strong>Truly</strong> a miracle!! What a blessing you are to me. I love your hugs and kisses, especially when I don't have to ask for them! :) You will always be my favorite boy, "Harry!" I love you to the moon and back and then some!!! Happy birthday, my sweet son!!</div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-36480661074509357682010-08-31T18:17:00.000-07:002010-08-31T19:34:24.380-07:00WARNING...Detour Ahead!Since I began homeschooling my little darlings 4 years ago, we have always used the books in the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.heartofdakota.com"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Little Hearts for His Glory</span> </a>curriculum line...and absolutely LOVED IT!!! This year, however, I had some mixed reviews and reservations about continuing with the same kind of curriculum in the <a href="http://www.heartofdakota.com/bigger-hearts.php"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Bigger Hearts for His Glory</span></a> book. I struggled. I mean I REALLY struggled, but I continued to pray about it and THOUGHT I was doing the right thing by using it, but using a different math. It took me only a couple of days to realize that this was just not going to work for us, but we stuck with it for a week just to see if it would get better for us. I'm sorry to say that it didn't. In my personal opinion this particular book was very different from the first three (which we LOVED). I just felt like it was too much for us. That's the only way I know to describe it.<br /><br />I researched some other options for history and science, and placed an order with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.rainbowresource.com"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Rainbow Resource</span></a>. Now we are in a transitional phase as we await our new books!! I'm excited, though. Whenever we receive our order, we will begin using <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1283304932-964780&subject=14&category=3970"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Mystery of History</span></a> for our social studies portion, <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1283304932-964780&subject=11&category=8815"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Exploring Creation with Zoology 1</span></a> for science, and <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Sequential+Spelling+Level+1+%28Homeschool+Edition%29/038467/1283304932-964780"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Sequential Spelling 1</span></a> for spelling. We will continue using <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?sid=1283304932-964780&subject=10&category=2075"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Saxon </span></a>for math since it is new to us this year and for reading we'll continue to follow the block in the BHFHG book along with our <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Phonics+Pathways+9th+Edition/000437/1283304932-964780"><span style="color:#ff0000;">phonics</span></a> book. I also like how <a href="http://www.heartofdakota.com/bigger-hearts.php"><span style="color:#ff0000;">BHFHG</span></a> does Bible Study, so we'll follow that plan as well. For writing, my eldest little darling will use <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Cheerful+Cursive/018482/1283304932-964780"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Cheerul Cursive</span></a>, and my son will be using <a href="http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Italic+Handwriting+Book+C/005673/1283306171-1020439"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Italic Handwriting Book C</span></a>. Then throughout the year, I'll be working with my little darlings to create some books. I think we're in for a fun year...I'll try to let you know how it goes!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-60742974483623691272010-08-14T14:12:00.000-07:002010-08-14T14:43:30.522-07:00A Piece of My Past...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57kRaWPPr4W4RtKIVYbrjxymWVoSlwaKveTfncAXj085zQRCfqEjm26bxH2n2yd80qVhWEoDeYmAAjt8Rm_dWjXlwRnVrMbHRKXPLXLDSFhrTepmZv747Z0MDbpIAuctY2FYZtExSVgs/s1600/2010_08_14+005.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505377503296734914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57kRaWPPr4W4RtKIVYbrjxymWVoSlwaKveTfncAXj085zQRCfqEjm26bxH2n2yd80qVhWEoDeYmAAjt8Rm_dWjXlwRnVrMbHRKXPLXLDSFhrTepmZv747Z0MDbpIAuctY2FYZtExSVgs/s200/2010_08_14+005.jpg" /></a> Raise your hand if you remember this. This was probably my very first electronic toy when I was growing up. It's called <a href="http://www.datamath.org/Edu/Professor-76.htm">"Little Professor," </a>and it's an electronic calculator that was put out by Texas Instruments. It has a copyright of 1976 on it. I used to play with this thing all the time. It's one of the memories from my childhood. When I found it today, I couldn't believe that it still worked!!! I was so excited!! What is it about our favorite childhood toys? They stir up such excitement and emotion. You find something like this, and you become an 8 year old elementary school girl all over again. I hope you enjoyed this trip down "memory lane". I may have to post some of my other childhood memories at another time like my Farah Fawcett doll and my Donnie and Marie Osmond dolls. All of a sudden I feel VERY OLD!!!<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-31883954885100620362010-07-02T20:51:00.000-07:002010-07-02T21:17:47.050-07:00Freedom Is Not Free!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT4yCfCTaujEu_elwMsb0gRpIJT6Wjul91pGawYxNIaSaMywsnuleAtfYPmdXtlrXf7F6cliSWnMo4HYa6mJM7hlQ5XKk3mUYTzxqgXy49M4wVxksJ5xVWlBSVj1s4L8ZAMFnHvyLmS0/s1600/CSC_0078.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489525470128416994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT4yCfCTaujEu_elwMsb0gRpIJT6Wjul91pGawYxNIaSaMywsnuleAtfYPmdXtlrXf7F6cliSWnMo4HYa6mJM7hlQ5XKk3mUYTzxqgXy49M4wVxksJ5xVWlBSVj1s4L8ZAMFnHvyLmS0/s200/CSC_0078.JPG" /></a><br /><divthere><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8D0l7e8VpVVFwyq4FUP41DD5-1PgN-rSH5smr-fAX8wu9Y_i0JHLWJZlxAjL14eHYGJ1VC-a8n6085n7yfinfVXQaNYbMWwkxVdurk02eUdVuxWHuNedf1yXIaIVp87BbRQghkfn6TU/s1600/CSC_0071.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489525466806972050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8D0l7e8VpVVFwyq4FUP41DD5-1PgN-rSH5smr-fAX8wu9Y_i0JHLWJZlxAjL14eHYGJ1VC-a8n6085n7yfinfVXQaNYbMWwkxVdurk02eUdVuxWHuNedf1yXIaIVp87BbRQghkfn6TU/s200/CSC_0071.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QhBqxsZN69Dv6EnKV6KSRriERTXRthfjOawAgpO9roY7Ph5SXPe74NDT_AAvKA3am8mle1JjjlxikjkePXRi3YUxHBgPdIt4Fli_ja3cVWf_0EuYOV18W8wnHNNNwPhvx3Zlb68Dh-Y/s1600/CSC_0073.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489525443272979298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QhBqxsZN69Dv6EnKV6KSRriERTXRthfjOawAgpO9roY7Ph5SXPe74NDT_AAvKA3am8mle1JjjlxikjkePXRi3YUxHBgPdIt4Fli_ja3cVWf_0EuYOV18W8wnHNNNwPhvx3Zlb68Dh-Y/s200/CSC_0073.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdHmyOJmzTG9FAT0Ao9ihFu-762xRBKb89if498YJXk0829vCRg4OGXwNXfUv8-N5ej_MaQkvFU5WBrGyFLqS8xJJCxCgSMeJ5qz-jUaXjWoaCR6rknF5_xlomU3P1I0NqJcJcPdgoD4/s1600/CSC_0074.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489528578181652242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdHmyOJmzTG9FAT0Ao9ihFu-762xRBKb89if498YJXk0829vCRg4OGXwNXfUv8-N5ej_MaQkvFU5WBrGyFLqS8xJJCxCgSMeJ5qz-jUaXjWoaCR6rknF5_xlomU3P1I0NqJcJcPdgoD4/s200/CSC_0074.JPG" /></a>There is a price to pay, but most of us are unwilling to pay for our freedom. We leave it in the hands of our Armed Forces. Behind every military uniform is a father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, uncle, aunt. Sometimes we forget that. We forget (myself included) that each one leaves behind a family. Let us remember to pray for them and their families.<br /><br />Those military men and women could not protect us without our Almighty God. He watches over us all, and He is our ultimate Protector! May God bless America...land that I love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-34824346454630196192010-06-23T10:55:00.000-07:002010-06-23T11:28:12.241-07:00Starting Over<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRLiFyACelQu4Z4KWZ7iklpXr58ub3BIy6NWnfGqEEf4BY3iX2fpk9vyiuGvl7_7pqa3kR5W0dkG6NmA06ENY5lo1OKoVryWSRuoLzQjrQtkMsLAGiJNJDqAttiwwbvf4Ir98_a7IUkQ/s1600/2010_06_23+001.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 186px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486030323395801826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRLiFyACelQu4Z4KWZ7iklpXr58ub3BIy6NWnfGqEEf4BY3iX2fpk9vyiuGvl7_7pqa3kR5W0dkG6NmA06ENY5lo1OKoVryWSRuoLzQjrQtkMsLAGiJNJDqAttiwwbvf4Ir98_a7IUkQ/s200/2010_06_23+001.jpg" /></a><br />You are looking at alot of hard work, effort, and money.........or what used to be. I have really grown to love our freezer, especially when we have a garden. It comes in so handy! I wish I had taken a picture of it a few days ago, and you would have seen all the garden veggies from last year and the current one. You would have also seen all of our meats, seafood items, as well as some home made bread and a few other various things. I've been trying over the last 2-3 years to be very resourceful and use the freezer to my advantage. Yesterday evening, however, I went to the freezer to get some shrimp to cook for my family, and I walked in the building where the freezer is to find a horrible mess: blood and water that had flowed from inside the freezer to the floor in front of it and beneath it. It smelled...BAD!!! I don't know exactly when it happened, but somehow the door of the freezer had become ajar, and there was all of my hard work and Carl's hard earned paychecks sitting there ruined before my eyes in 100 degree weather!! A knot came to my stomach and a lump formed in my throat. I cried. I couldn't help it - I was so disheartened. That was when God reminded me of how blessed we really are. We have so many blessings - too numerous to count. We had also read in our devotion that morning about how if God clothes the flowers and takes care of the birds, then He will take care of His children.<br /><br />When I went to take this photo this morning, so many Biblical lessons came to my mind. I realize we're not going to starve, and I realize that there are other people who go to a fridge everyday and see a similar photo and wonder where their next meal is coming from. How can I complain when God was the One who provided it?? It will take some time and more hard work, but with God's help, we'll have things added back to it. As a matter of fact, I have several zucchini that were picked from the garden yesterday morning and need to be cooked and put up. God is AWESOME!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-37522442154755410152010-06-18T15:48:00.000-07:002010-06-19T08:12:55.430-07:00A Wet Kind of Day...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDShnBQIDX4FqLqbKm9DlTywY9rCXkrRjQ4At3eIJo0Hmm3lPqv6afhERHYOaNZ_HWzA9R-a2O48AVOBtUncJkLJ0I-lLo4sQyl-QmVqHNb-pBlk0vWuZGjttQDkTQw1dhrkasXg40WvY/s1600/2010_06_10+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484256800933959986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDShnBQIDX4FqLqbKm9DlTywY9rCXkrRjQ4At3eIJo0Hmm3lPqv6afhERHYOaNZ_HWzA9R-a2O48AVOBtUncJkLJ0I-lLo4sQyl-QmVqHNb-pBlk0vWuZGjttQDkTQw1dhrkasXg40WvY/s200/2010_06_10+001.jpg" /></a> I loved the animals that were put together with pots at Dollywood. Here's a snake. No, I'm not calling my son a snake!! LOL<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLLEs6C1egu1PEfs6h9GE1osbeG6r6aAwexZ_g9-x3_2KJu8_ZhIRoCscrc6IQ5EGj3CPqr4e5yi8GbOJuhFJQ40gEns1JKbgplLNj1IdlUqmNw46SnaTXxLpc4ceaVt2X-AwX6mcZQw/s1600/2010_06_10+003.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484499792886333698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLLEs6C1egu1PEfs6h9GE1osbeG6r6aAwexZ_g9-x3_2KJu8_ZhIRoCscrc6IQ5EGj3CPqr4e5yi8GbOJuhFJQ40gEns1JKbgplLNj1IdlUqmNw46SnaTXxLpc4ceaVt2X-AwX6mcZQw/s200/2010_06_10+003.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0luFbS5dPe1I6H6qfYKOxnuLEM6UvVCWS0tuXdrpsfCvjjF9ZuyHROjBLmpmQDtX799tBp1CZre4Bg0O4p91VO-VxMnQSpYpn7FILZqoLNwLmJJcf-0ASzSNS0gJ84kcgP2aB68xTEw/s1600/2010_06_10+006.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 158px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484255617758410642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0luFbS5dPe1I6H6qfYKOxnuLEM6UvVCWS0tuXdrpsfCvjjF9ZuyHROjBLmpmQDtX799tBp1CZre4Bg0O4p91VO-VxMnQSpYpn7FILZqoLNwLmJJcf-0ASzSNS0gJ84kcgP2aB68xTEw/s200/2010_06_10+006.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It was so hot and humid at Dollywood that we chose one day to just ride all water rides... (Well, I didn't!) Hey, someone's got to make pictures!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVXKD7wTHTJlXpMKfz5q4uBmV1K6NnY8NZQeCOVh2-VxLbCEEGyQEvj9m7agO363jeeEneirzC6IfqRtWHXC0RzazLJvvGxMs3SczbT6IZa7pIk37SvODvLzcwadM8Rp3y6Th6Lagg2c/s1600/2010_06_10+012.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484255603329005410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVXKD7wTHTJlXpMKfz5q4uBmV1K6NnY8NZQeCOVh2-VxLbCEEGyQEvj9m7agO363jeeEneirzC6IfqRtWHXC0RzazLJvvGxMs3SczbT6IZa7pIk37SvODvLzcwadM8Rp3y6Th6Lagg2c/s200/2010_06_10+012.jpg" /></a>Everyone loved riding River Rampage...the first time. (heh heh heh) Daddy and I didn't ride either time, so we found something more fun to do - we discovered the blasters. The blasters are associated with a colored flag along the "trail" that the boat takes. Well, you put a quarter in the slot right as the boat is coming by that colored flag, and the ones you love the most get "blasted" with water! Timing is everything!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnEjh7ArLnH6tTKITjuZP5BKVgSadz5VI2CF3Ay8NePWUMo0EeEJVvRIBaGDX3D_5RGc1xt4SmOycE8yLfEswRmv5CRI7McdC0v2NmwwdwF0zvZjUti8aq5SQcH6LaYU-gQybJ0DSz-s/s1600/2010_06_10+042.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484255576258684322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnEjh7ArLnH6tTKITjuZP5BKVgSadz5VI2CF3Ay8NePWUMo0EeEJVvRIBaGDX3D_5RGc1xt4SmOycE8yLfEswRmv5CRI7McdC0v2NmwwdwF0zvZjUti8aq5SQcH6LaYU-gQybJ0DSz-s/s200/2010_06_10+042.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9UQjEvYVAnvJgOV_5LwrjN6fgry3dXf4I23kMoK3xWuc2ammkmziGJAVqaz85Bys-WR9MBY2-EDEADJQlDSRJVNR1GboUVcxiROYXtVqx-wMjxihIHEoIX_ZEnVNO4v0Tqam37iwf8g/s1600/2010_06_10+046.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484255542755320434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9UQjEvYVAnvJgOV_5LwrjN6fgry3dXf4I23kMoK3xWuc2ammkmziGJAVqaz85Bys-WR9MBY2-EDEADJQlDSRJVNR1GboUVcxiROYXtVqx-wMjxihIHEoIX_ZEnVNO4v0Tqam37iwf8g/s200/2010_06_10+046.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2HdVahx9IJ97pwf8mLzebKEcB_sW7ur3J4q_URHQtzwC5IX79r09_PAUMTNShMNKE4q-ZwkU0j0kz8p-T8EnjYzwbwQLibbkq6d8kQqFMKUbSlwLLmHyrIsQFSxEPkNq-2vTAYsaXyY/s1600/2010_06_10+066.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484255527547957890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2HdVahx9IJ97pwf8mLzebKEcB_sW7ur3J4q_URHQtzwC5IX79r09_PAUMTNShMNKE4q-ZwkU0j0kz8p-T8EnjYzwbwQLibbkq6d8kQqFMKUbSlwLLmHyrIsQFSxEPkNq-2vTAYsaXyY/s200/2010_06_10+066.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is River Battle, and, yes, it is a battle to ride...or not! Let me explain. You see, those of us who are innocently standing by to make pictures of our loved ones can be "shot" with water guns assigned to each person on the boat. Now let me just say, these people that "shoot" you may or may NOT know you. Acquaintance is NO factor in this ride. You can innocently be passing by and get pretty wet! What makes it cool, though, is that those who are on the outside of the ride can "shoot" back if he is standing at one of the "guns" along the outside. It makes for a pretty interesting ride, and one that you have to be prepared for because you will definitely get sopping wet!!! I became highly offended when someone I didn't know "shot" me!!! All I wanted was to get some good shots of my family as they rode this ride!! I ran away and started pouting and sucking my thumb. How dare someone wet me that I didn't even know, and HOW DARE THEY WET MY CAMERA!!!!!!! I was finally able to calculate where I could stand and NOT get myself or my camera wet and just use the zoom feature! LOL This was the last wet ride of our day because you get so wet. You've pretty much had your shower for the day, so you might as well put on fresh, dry clothes and continue on your journey. Or you could pay $3.00 for the family dryer and get dried off!! Ha!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-6116131142108985012010-06-18T14:38:00.000-07:002010-06-19T08:17:11.203-07:0025 Years and Counting...Dollywood is celebrating 25 years this year, and we always have a blast when we go. This time seemed hotter than any other time we've ever been. It was so very humid, but we still enjoyed it!! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkptH78_t6NIsq0XVpgHxag9a4yLxKAD-QGJJL071tLFyLWG47dMoREWtLHKW2tu7l8Hu2QNSmKZmE3xyrlNFGIVgkndswidvoXOnSOsCtWx_ug9nlnp3i82ywbQ2rF2OYtmEPeINtbX4/s1600/DSC_0799.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkptH78_t6NIsq0XVpgHxag9a4yLxKAD-QGJJL071tLFyLWG47dMoREWtLHKW2tu7l8Hu2QNSmKZmE3xyrlNFGIVgkndswidvoXOnSOsCtWx_ug9nlnp3i82ywbQ2rF2OYtmEPeINtbX4/s200/DSC_0799.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484234508099658818" /></a><br />I could eat this boy up, especially when I see those dimples shine through!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JN2S28uL4chw42DNsHYiEiTnU8p9tUswo2RWjFqtxRE-2QG6o01NKFhyp7169CmF1ed560r1oDdewtdEZGYwRohnBjDbTsLlqw2yUYt4MRDicX11qohS3nC8OCKT8KNh6XVOt_Tkg8k/s1600/DSC_0840.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JN2S28uL4chw42DNsHYiEiTnU8p9tUswo2RWjFqtxRE-2QG6o01NKFhyp7169CmF1ed560r1oDdewtdEZGYwRohnBjDbTsLlqw2yUYt4MRDicX11qohS3nC8OCKT8KNh6XVOt_Tkg8k/s200/DSC_0840.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484234492465697522" /></a><br />She loves to ride anything that tickles her tummy! This is one of her favorite rides. See that smile?!?!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO0H8RpXTaWv4NLSKXy4AaScXu6RACf_8hQtsWGcKdBZ4SydqArYixe6LzvXPy9Dtrh3-Lcz2XiD62NQ2KpeYDEqYl-cEzEPOkWme3jqr2jZ5VMeFv0ek8aQCWan6ToJtunhgkl1_keM/s1600/DSC_0821.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyO0H8RpXTaWv4NLSKXy4AaScXu6RACf_8hQtsWGcKdBZ4SydqArYixe6LzvXPy9Dtrh3-Lcz2XiD62NQ2KpeYDEqYl-cEzEPOkWme3jqr2jZ5VMeFv0ek8aQCWan6ToJtunhgkl1_keM/s200/DSC_0821.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484234483004341570" /></a><br />What's Dollywood without Dolly? We happened to be there on the first day of the Kids Fest, and she made her way through the park. When she passed by us, it was like she knew I wanted her picture and looked straight at my camera!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMm7a1Z_OPeEDnlN6geqG5rGq1_5UuMpeSN2ipcbQJkiq7w7Mnmo4upJasWdQKjepY2I6yuwNmSuRbTkAkHclEHvlwj2j2D5UrdJWGSjhCXgYXIQqnc2pCbm1nISQFLlMKZCeKk5pmuI/s1600/DSC_0854.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMm7a1Z_OPeEDnlN6geqG5rGq1_5UuMpeSN2ipcbQJkiq7w7Mnmo4upJasWdQKjepY2I6yuwNmSuRbTkAkHclEHvlwj2j2D5UrdJWGSjhCXgYXIQqnc2pCbm1nISQFLlMKZCeKk5pmuI/s200/DSC_0854.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484234473389560994" /></a><br />What a beautiful sunset God gave us to behold on our way home. It was absolutely breathtaking!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-88099339740818702252010-06-04T20:33:00.000-07:002010-06-04T21:05:16.542-07:00Feeding the Hungry...and Learning Along the WayI learned about this website last week, and thought it was worth mentioning. If you want to learn new words or just test your knowledge on the words you know, click <a href="http://freerice.com/">here</a>. For each correct answer, they will donate 10 grains of rice to feed the hungry. Check it out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-11049426778659822682010-06-01T16:38:00.000-07:002010-06-01T20:27:31.959-07:00A Budding Beautician...NOT!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJXnF97D-UW-_ReGNbyREuYR0QJsNGwokzXhHv1gnreYnn3Y1CAyXb1vp6yEaM-0jowEvGQe8FBDlhz6ycSt0klOxBTiGIurmSl-Iwqs6ppM_5ZK8s7LoDth8ssq7pS1obBhbGLwZRKg/s1600/2010_06_01+005.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJXnF97D-UW-_ReGNbyREuYR0QJsNGwokzXhHv1gnreYnn3Y1CAyXb1vp6yEaM-0jowEvGQe8FBDlhz6ycSt0klOxBTiGIurmSl-Iwqs6ppM_5ZK8s7LoDth8ssq7pS1obBhbGLwZRKg/s200/2010_06_01+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477994334159630754" /></a><br />As I sat at the table eating bonbons and reading a steamy romance novel this morning (not really, I was looking at grocery ads), my children decided to go into my bathroom. I didn't think much of it until it became quiet. That's when I inquired as to what they were doing. My son came in to get my scissors, so I asked him why he needed them. He told me that he needed them for his sister's hair. "Uh, no!" I said. So I awakened back to reality, walked into my bathroom, and this is the sight I saw. I would like to be able to tell you that I was a good mother and didn't give my daughter a complex by laughing at her hysterically, but I can't. I lost it!! I tried my best to fuss, but I just couldn't! I laughed! She and my son had worked at trying to get the brush released from her hair, but to no avail. I did the same...to no avail, so.....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H-aL44W8qc4uBA69dufggNf8vNWaLOU_nuOo0f7gf35CWM8eY4QF-MMy_z-n1PNDx3Y5Up3tjQuMiughD2CtKlKDYpBZzdqQURgQdqQ8dN2_T4glhKlJ2XBxsCkoeSNrDFycHUZf06M/s1600/2010_06_01+007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H-aL44W8qc4uBA69dufggNf8vNWaLOU_nuOo0f7gf35CWM8eY4QF-MMy_z-n1PNDx3Y5Up3tjQuMiughD2CtKlKDYpBZzdqQURgQdqQ8dN2_T4glhKlJ2XBxsCkoeSNrDFycHUZf06M/s200/2010_06_01+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477994327408416018" /></a><br />I called for back up. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOPPkreMUj0T7EwWw7dC42Z_XZOZjOfZhb2_zWyJz-BBnugj8wV41GF3nh2H-NRkCIlt_7ubkdYH1VjnV4DFpIYAIMB2SkhuqwlfQV1UNdK81OzyFkGIO82ftvyl0XMdkvppmpVlFJrc/s1600/2010_06_01+010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOPPkreMUj0T7EwWw7dC42Z_XZOZjOfZhb2_zWyJz-BBnugj8wV41GF3nh2H-NRkCIlt_7ubkdYH1VjnV4DFpIYAIMB2SkhuqwlfQV1UNdK81OzyFkGIO82ftvyl0XMdkvppmpVlFJrc/s200/2010_06_01+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477994319650778930" /></a><br />"Pebbles", in all of her glory, had to be loaded up and whisked away to the salon, because no one could remove the brush from her hair. She's really excited to go and be seen in public. Can you tell?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVq2VvS4-z58eWA9mcIWgAE-5yYTT0FtA-YMP2f__KHR8b98wisPaJE6WRK3B8DOiuyloKWDgVA-4xQblq84mdR4fvlN1d3R6u1VTOX7NTxKbgAJKjDlCIPjUccbQpque04i70FjFG8k/s1600/2010_06_01+012.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVq2VvS4-z58eWA9mcIWgAE-5yYTT0FtA-YMP2f__KHR8b98wisPaJE6WRK3B8DOiuyloKWDgVA-4xQblq84mdR4fvlN1d3R6u1VTOX7NTxKbgAJKjDlCIPjUccbQpque04i70FjFG8k/s200/2010_06_01+012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477958053757555522" /></a><br />We were prepared to have it all cut off pretty short, but the stylist at the salon worked on it for a while, and...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Tdd913oIdX3PdNF-SleBNoxUi4y1az2q3agQT3mJD_JoZrOgEykNmca3fHKVCLzetvzOorF8mtZZcNYKhQUPyhfE1gbgUHNeQbDK3766dERLghE1X3arb_OUv6RD0BUfhzRmgmpUD_w/s1600/2010_06_01+013.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Tdd913oIdX3PdNF-SleBNoxUi4y1az2q3agQT3mJD_JoZrOgEykNmca3fHKVCLzetvzOorF8mtZZcNYKhQUPyhfE1gbgUHNeQbDK3766dERLghE1X3arb_OUv6RD0BUfhzRmgmpUD_w/s200/2010_06_01+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477958048957708178" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />she was finally able to remove the brush. (She did have to cut it out, however.) She shampooed, conditioned, cut, and dried my daughter's lovely locks. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgGUlPQnTvfInybDtOzBVmYbVCX30sxWM2bZ97n-ZFurh-wyKAu0T4O2tvby7C-kCu42JPfhQQ7aTZjlYU6ya_dmHDqhlF3BPmYy_DOhyphenhyphen8RbWKtqbXpPwyDQcW4H4EgiJsfqUhvbrNcc/s1600/2010_06_01+016.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgGUlPQnTvfInybDtOzBVmYbVCX30sxWM2bZ97n-ZFurh-wyKAu0T4O2tvby7C-kCu42JPfhQQ7aTZjlYU6ya_dmHDqhlF3BPmYy_DOhyphenhyphen8RbWKtqbXpPwyDQcW4H4EgiJsfqUhvbrNcc/s200/2010_06_01+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477958043888736866" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />After 8 hands, 2 1/2 hours, and $20.00 later, "Pebbles" emerged without her prominent head piece.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhjr_VN4jyRn1q-i8PwbyvHes0h_evzZGyeFYEgguUvLBx85b2s2aXfAJBnn3xGnX-NxyDJcx8RepmBM1RjIWvnEyzHQx1xu4pcjj7he0Jy3hseeTN_6NV4-X8sCltfTNzO0eXTEWoXI/s1600/2010_06_01+017.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhjr_VN4jyRn1q-i8PwbyvHes0h_evzZGyeFYEgguUvLBx85b2s2aXfAJBnn3xGnX-NxyDJcx8RepmBM1RjIWvnEyzHQx1xu4pcjj7he0Jy3hseeTN_6NV4-X8sCltfTNzO0eXTEWoXI/s200/2010_06_01+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477958040545392530" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I told her that IF she ever does this again I am going to cut it out myself at home then take her to the salon for a $6.99 haircut with a coupon. I think "Pebbles" has learned her lesson! :) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejhAGL24iXjdcROmFyoCQ6845ia90B42flwxa07vz56ENgz58NS6cBenApYu_AZPuMcGwm7U5InzTv8TqVUQ3JFlfelgcXl8IqEE4Mh4PumjOf58lgfXrS3yegem2rR8TVl4Mi-1ANnc/s1600/2010_06_01+020.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejhAGL24iXjdcROmFyoCQ6845ia90B42flwxa07vz56ENgz58NS6cBenApYu_AZPuMcGwm7U5InzTv8TqVUQ3JFlfelgcXl8IqEE4Mh4PumjOf58lgfXrS3yegem2rR8TVl4Mi-1ANnc/s200/2010_06_01+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477958034444635506" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-41716617038126013302010-06-01T16:09:00.000-07:002010-06-01T16:37:35.512-07:00The Joys? of Baseball 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8Jmv9VZc3HlhxTqOGLD3mzmIWOK7fr1PCg3IaWT0aovRgTQ88wp1A2yJG-ZDounFAS1BMgG6UuvN9iPTIgWDoSyCHdQEvmVVnZb3L_vBl58EL09mXPzBbWrFNvVzReR9i_f67B5jAjc/s1600/2010_05_18+036.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8Jmv9VZc3HlhxTqOGLD3mzmIWOK7fr1PCg3IaWT0aovRgTQ88wp1A2yJG-ZDounFAS1BMgG6UuvN9iPTIgWDoSyCHdQEvmVVnZb3L_vBl58EL09mXPzBbWrFNvVzReR9i_f67B5jAjc/s200/2010_05_18+036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477950322079100050" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBdys2gHTMhHY1SCZvgJqxXK_lrvhDNEqnvyvhj9ZE-b-22c23EVaaxao9ifunWl8JGNHNjkX_TccT4tnnTopneRbPkic84YC8-iSigcl_sMbrHdoM9tuoyV2UAtcekQlacqG0roWcBA/s1600/2010_05_18+037.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBdys2gHTMhHY1SCZvgJqxXK_lrvhDNEqnvyvhj9ZE-b-22c23EVaaxao9ifunWl8JGNHNjkX_TccT4tnnTopneRbPkic84YC8-iSigcl_sMbrHdoM9tuoyV2UAtcekQlacqG0roWcBA/s200/2010_05_18+037.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477950319826280386" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi01WUGbMqoz7NJuV0fIu1rjUaytaYu9eeqJF2xhz7AEGKoqw55jHkIL5QzVBG4Yxxdtvon7CwIGAYMmrNYY7DzW5xf1zArSQBEOZAi1SNaWyvqLtMG6RrRCeU9hcxbAPQjB-pO6cDLTg/s1600/2010_05_18+038.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi01WUGbMqoz7NJuV0fIu1rjUaytaYu9eeqJF2xhz7AEGKoqw55jHkIL5QzVBG4Yxxdtvon7CwIGAYMmrNYY7DzW5xf1zArSQBEOZAi1SNaWyvqLtMG6RrRCeU9hcxbAPQjB-pO6cDLTg/s200/2010_05_18+038.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477950315157017394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12VPAqhNx8TrDspQdamTQLsJX6f5IfdJ2wzjML0br2CHltWIQy-Ki7qKbOru9zPUKLXj_yreBNMHaBXYfwMUhYAbWT3ZN3GvkXFKM2BN5W1YbM6hh6vrcw8dbpfiHtWpOfqy2TNwla04/s1600/2010_05_13+035.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12VPAqhNx8TrDspQdamTQLsJX6f5IfdJ2wzjML0br2CHltWIQy-Ki7qKbOru9zPUKLXj_yreBNMHaBXYfwMUhYAbWT3ZN3GvkXFKM2BN5W1YbM6hh6vrcw8dbpfiHtWpOfqy2TNwla04/s200/2010_05_13+035.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477948642541996594" /></a><br />I don't know why my son decided to scratch that part of his body at this moment. Maybe it took his mind off of his dad fussing at him for not paying attention? Or maybe he wasn't paying attention then? Anyway, I thought I had made a pretty good photo until I got home, downloaded the photos, and it became a "split" decision!! LOL<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHYMCUlHTZVu7VXQIdqRTLflJ_aJWBiM3aKCtihBPaRf5poVvMJnRegd2Nd86FCuQESNjOWin6ge62XWmIANFCr31fb7UBTuaTZ2nqCF9qED9ZjCJ1xbCW_NjkRIV8QMR3gigfFMwAsY/s1600/2010_05_13+049.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHYMCUlHTZVu7VXQIdqRTLflJ_aJWBiM3aKCtihBPaRf5poVvMJnRegd2Nd86FCuQESNjOWin6ge62XWmIANFCr31fb7UBTuaTZ2nqCF9qED9ZjCJ1xbCW_NjkRIV8QMR3gigfFMwAsY/s200/2010_05_13+049.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477948636518968418" /></a><br />My kiddos really do love baseball....some days more than others...It depends on the "action" or lack thereof. :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzy3HUE9NlTiRf917SKtUUc60qiMYEH-uElallMPq1RojPrKAoN418s9G6IaVrp0QQRhAagGPseULKSkozF9V3gQNY30L1SNZwLdEMy6iQ8mnXG9z1VQWBxhfAG0FYtv0XUtVKEVOHdA/s1600/2010_05_13+066.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzy3HUE9NlTiRf917SKtUUc60qiMYEH-uElallMPq1RojPrKAoN418s9G6IaVrp0QQRhAagGPseULKSkozF9V3gQNY30L1SNZwLdEMy6iQ8mnXG9z1VQWBxhfAG0FYtv0XUtVKEVOHdA/s200/2010_05_13+066.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477948631180867474" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-63582071557519260742010-06-01T16:02:00.000-07:002010-06-01T16:09:24.192-07:00Mother's Day 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNQYweopTYZYOd7JvJ3tRnu0zSheDgiW_P2bL8iBAxz1F9JDnzbX_RYDY5dTq26Cnp9KVIGYIYhUlXwdEOM5s-nB3uBA2eDqgQNkfcpiNnZqj9NljGEc-uQQcRsHjVyf95lyvasthOYA/s1600/2010_05_09+003.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNQYweopTYZYOd7JvJ3tRnu0zSheDgiW_P2bL8iBAxz1F9JDnzbX_RYDY5dTq26Cnp9KVIGYIYhUlXwdEOM5s-nB3uBA2eDqgQNkfcpiNnZqj9NljGEc-uQQcRsHjVyf95lyvasthOYA/s200/2010_05_09+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477945309762668386" /></a><br />My kiddos and I...Oh, how I love them!!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRKudpx2GxXhrVGmQz3m-d1lSojg3Hb1LTEn5AIDT4hNnOeyICtclgDMJbkqivvLp3gXbly5HdHSlx_AY3M2FxjvyVQ8anamBvys4951rU0CEl3hrwhHifIVNdZk5BrerVruXcvIpveg/s1600/2010_05_09+007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRKudpx2GxXhrVGmQz3m-d1lSojg3Hb1LTEn5AIDT4hNnOeyICtclgDMJbkqivvLp3gXbly5HdHSlx_AY3M2FxjvyVQ8anamBvys4951rU0CEl3hrwhHifIVNdZk5BrerVruXcvIpveg/s200/2010_05_09+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477945306452536258" /></a><br />My mother and I...Oh, how I love her!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-26982583534317513962010-05-04T12:01:00.000-07:002010-05-04T12:35:33.574-07:00A Walk on the Wild Side<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCMtK2eZVSzKuqmIgpdvD6ff6R7mB4FZAszrb9G0FnEdaMHsMOORBslkF7OAFOvg4VDYFT03HoYcn6T9_6j_PUbsuW9EmYdLVKHRVE60ASd6DOsqt4QjTplSGEeaq-vhr2svRiviluK0/s1600/2010_04_30+024.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCMtK2eZVSzKuqmIgpdvD6ff6R7mB4FZAszrb9G0FnEdaMHsMOORBslkF7OAFOvg4VDYFT03HoYcn6T9_6j_PUbsuW9EmYdLVKHRVE60ASd6DOsqt4QjTplSGEeaq-vhr2svRiviluK0/s200/2010_04_30+024.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467499425373192130" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfca7VDcdmY0VwpFA5AZaNrV9cL4VaxV6saVpLXhKCilfqeyvm01fd0riANRDUlMawnttpd3nkMLam_kBXeDeerJou4LaNT1wgQA5Wjf4Xi5Adju4H5gGbfXq2visr8HcuhZ-D6_QTU0/s1600/DSC_0218.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfca7VDcdmY0VwpFA5AZaNrV9cL4VaxV6saVpLXhKCilfqeyvm01fd0riANRDUlMawnttpd3nkMLam_kBXeDeerJou4LaNT1wgQA5Wjf4Xi5Adju4H5gGbfXq2visr8HcuhZ-D6_QTU0/s200/DSC_0218.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467499422253885138" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0_1rV-xzI_-ilrnMpfbgL-f69ON80dtC6b0rS0oIFfXXAaVhhnnKKE9ZnPdDEdH6JeLTDp9St4wuoIn61RMxp0R5LFENUCzwglBOE4jq20PMIlNCCL93PT48BDzZdaelgDhIx-i6Smc/s1600/2010_04_30+042.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0_1rV-xzI_-ilrnMpfbgL-f69ON80dtC6b0rS0oIFfXXAaVhhnnKKE9ZnPdDEdH6JeLTDp9St4wuoIn61RMxp0R5LFENUCzwglBOE4jq20PMIlNCCL93PT48BDzZdaelgDhIx-i6Smc/s200/2010_04_30+042.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467499413109018274" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1Nkgoy_8IhoXjjDpI4ujv1KZOrtFZTwM_p-keoS-AAzoXTscY74t2L92NxlMEvFMpA-ecOZY5jYzUSVzwu2aRq40pZbYs0eypWp_n8-B1Cks4Cxpv09WGNEkssI5m3epeZzdkFrp-R4/s1600/2010_04_30+046.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1Nkgoy_8IhoXjjDpI4ujv1KZOrtFZTwM_p-keoS-AAzoXTscY74t2L92NxlMEvFMpA-ecOZY5jYzUSVzwu2aRq40pZbYs0eypWp_n8-B1Cks4Cxpv09WGNEkssI5m3epeZzdkFrp-R4/s200/2010_04_30+046.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467499402840575458" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZ8ER1oT8zsfYuBHP_mrK_KykCByUJ8OsL-Q6pHE2KkBcut-l3P3-bK_MGAxbv1qsa24hDhSXYIfYNZMEWk-2_nQRjl1G8_G94BOglItfseNnPjRVeSQW0pYKRsF6b73fNNbheRilcpQ/s1600/DSC_0325.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZ8ER1oT8zsfYuBHP_mrK_KykCByUJ8OsL-Q6pHE2KkBcut-l3P3-bK_MGAxbv1qsa24hDhSXYIfYNZMEWk-2_nQRjl1G8_G94BOglItfseNnPjRVeSQW0pYKRsF6b73fNNbheRilcpQ/s200/DSC_0325.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467499398776736050" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bHc0p5U3H2cF2My5dUJV6YEKjqFwrquI8jxUjMuGzqyLrVi9rd0rkPnw_EhJPnErMzsrA5pLJaPJs6Brn6yhNETikjWn9gUdml7JsgfJ6YUpu1arvkTBCJFbq5OPSD09FBwFFYZ7AnQ/s1600/DSC_0156.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bHc0p5U3H2cF2My5dUJV6YEKjqFwrquI8jxUjMuGzqyLrVi9rd0rkPnw_EhJPnErMzsrA5pLJaPJs6Brn6yhNETikjWn9gUdml7JsgfJ6YUpu1arvkTBCJFbq5OPSD09FBwFFYZ7AnQ/s200/DSC_0156.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467496643320516322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzjg74Z18V2vo5APAzMiPgpdw6cemEYr0lwhEgVup6Zc8Nhq64itId7vaW6jxdVZhZ4FJQHn5WUjarSCXOYHzh-V4u6nSoLhO5m38Xf-nJuJrfVZaV0IMsYO-eYORP4oHeqBM_7JTnBM/s1600/2010_04_30+010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzjg74Z18V2vo5APAzMiPgpdw6cemEYr0lwhEgVup6Zc8Nhq64itId7vaW6jxdVZhZ4FJQHn5WUjarSCXOYHzh-V4u6nSoLhO5m38Xf-nJuJrfVZaV0IMsYO-eYORP4oHeqBM_7JTnBM/s200/2010_04_30+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467496640375778546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxUSLN2c8SRNAj6_WdF7qjI0ag-I0q2yprhZ5EFkarHKGKNGfP-olIWe69rze1Or1sm5wcg_er02hYLHZiMY5mKGM8DAtirBkIPhqHElHsaOI1OPMTQcOe43onHG0dTdukcue5w3kM5g/s1600/DSC_0256.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxUSLN2c8SRNAj6_WdF7qjI0ag-I0q2yprhZ5EFkarHKGKNGfP-olIWe69rze1Or1sm5wcg_er02hYLHZiMY5mKGM8DAtirBkIPhqHElHsaOI1OPMTQcOe43onHG0dTdukcue5w3kM5g/s200/DSC_0256.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467496632121411234" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTNDeO4DOjYTHWaafVNNucWTKO2KZPzetAR0PZ08X7cglTjjFPbt2YndmRRNUj5ibHwE9GN9HQJbK2Z_EcTEseKTNXvNEB89eRMnmjvVyzN_e0Mj9WFqBj5DcGerTpL1nuHlYWyNcLnY/s1600/2010_04_30+018.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTNDeO4DOjYTHWaafVNNucWTKO2KZPzetAR0PZ08X7cglTjjFPbt2YndmRRNUj5ibHwE9GN9HQJbK2Z_EcTEseKTNXvNEB89eRMnmjvVyzN_e0Mj9WFqBj5DcGerTpL1nuHlYWyNcLnY/s200/2010_04_30+018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467496624131942578" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMcZV377usuN1NsLs3lxflupCwZLtBXqv_cN2R5L88Jtr50Y6pSW4l01eNphYRPYZlUQqoxPyOb-IitcQO7FFb5FIt024eZBk-OeRz3_q-wMqFJUfHxMVwb-OaM6nLe435rcOaAsnHLU/s1600/DSC_0306.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMcZV377usuN1NsLs3lxflupCwZLtBXqv_cN2R5L88Jtr50Y6pSW4l01eNphYRPYZlUQqoxPyOb-IitcQO7FFb5FIt024eZBk-OeRz3_q-wMqFJUfHxMVwb-OaM6nLe435rcOaAsnHLU/s200/DSC_0306.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467496620588577314" /></a><br /><br />We took a field trip to a local zoo this past week and had a wonderful time. We've been to larger zoos in the past, and even though this one was smaller, it was a really good experience! We enjoyed it, and we ALL learned something. We even saw animals that we had never seen before. What a beautiful day it was to enjoy some of God's creation!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-50406884076689520292010-04-24T19:30:00.000-07:002010-04-28T06:55:04.293-07:00LOL + LOF = Good Times<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdp4yzBI_6MmbDJUaV0ePDZa51hsM0qFcEXv77tObVBX3Du2EZntp6jYrw6vEC7HQukmrXKfRCz4DVixBQYhUsrmAE-drX-Mj1yA-iZiIOXLQgfQWOqpmlmPCkpj8xKTAodH_KsOEjoR0/s1600/2010_04_23+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdp4yzBI_6MmbDJUaV0ePDZa51hsM0qFcEXv77tObVBX3Du2EZntp6jYrw6vEC7HQukmrXKfRCz4DVixBQYhUsrmAE-drX-Mj1yA-iZiIOXLQgfQWOqpmlmPCkpj8xKTAodH_KsOEjoR0/s200/2010_04_23+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465182928558104082" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdQpqd-q36EuejTjcdPD04i5L5AwQ9gCVtiywn-n1DY1vbJihDazeFT33bF7TxSLsLaYDXAvSgsx68lYVk0dSpMjDAmu_TW1PlgRRkszyr9N-XP1SiljS1SwiWocCrUAsJbPrkDhturw/s1600/2010_04_24+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdQpqd-q36EuejTjcdPD04i5L5AwQ9gCVtiywn-n1DY1vbJihDazeFT33bF7TxSLsLaYDXAvSgsx68lYVk0dSpMjDAmu_TW1PlgRRkszyr9N-XP1SiljS1SwiWocCrUAsJbPrkDhturw/s200/2010_04_24+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465182900816108658" /></a><br /><br />What happens when Living Out Loud and Leap OF Faith get together? Good laughs, good food, and good times!!! <br /><br />It was so nice to finally see Leap Of Faith and her crew this weekend. It had been about a year since we had seen them, so we had alot of catching up to do. The funny thing is, I still don't feel like we got "caught up". It was nice, however, to let the kids play together while all of us adults chatted. Hopefully it won't be another year before we see them again!!!<br /><br />Pictures will soon follow................ 8)<br /><br />P.S. Happy Birthday, K.!!!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoHOzIjhZdhFEPHa8bo64UHbYTEpxzQagNNg7eGOEf9ahCzpmlyKLnyq5zyWzckKigixLMiPFAk_s_fqNDHKJmwoCv7b7oRilh56abf5bigc3O3LSrKilrhvywfSbX1QtQRdwRCrAh4c/s1600/2010_04_23+005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoHOzIjhZdhFEPHa8bo64UHbYTEpxzQagNNg7eGOEf9ahCzpmlyKLnyq5zyWzckKigixLMiPFAk_s_fqNDHKJmwoCv7b7oRilh56abf5bigc3O3LSrKilrhvywfSbX1QtQRdwRCrAh4c/s200/2010_04_23+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465182919486558098" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw2zIPB-orRE88MZ3Kdzltm2d0LNIAaKDn-ESj-MGkwrfGe-LDhyphenhyphenT7pYtLIv_95G0WGZP92Vnf4hcqNqbS2T0sUHjAmkQ2d2mvey_hQeRqj5srg5G6dxO9lFMV9blKdH_3IjG3T2kQ5o/s1600/2010_04_24+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw2zIPB-orRE88MZ3Kdzltm2d0LNIAaKDn-ESj-MGkwrfGe-LDhyphenhyphenT7pYtLIv_95G0WGZP92Vnf4hcqNqbS2T0sUHjAmkQ2d2mvey_hQeRqj5srg5G6dxO9lFMV9blKdH_3IjG3T2kQ5o/s200/2010_04_24+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465182911041411170" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZMP20UpirQ24ohzNFCHoKI7GzpgXBuNzLUcyYqnN2i3eEFZgTHDL6R9hCmd4r_SvjL6arg2g9qQlerbGrXLkBn8C8K7G37gQpBxuMMONHSo7Dm0fmG2T5nUS0oN3mk327x9eT5pYrms/s1600/2010_04_24+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZMP20UpirQ24ohzNFCHoKI7GzpgXBuNzLUcyYqnN2i3eEFZgTHDL6R9hCmd4r_SvjL6arg2g9qQlerbGrXLkBn8C8K7G37gQpBxuMMONHSo7Dm0fmG2T5nUS0oN3mk327x9eT5pYrms/s200/2010_04_24+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465182905786242818" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMfECUaoVhHQNzgCfD7ApIb8VVy3_LULBAT7c92cdZeMYd57NZNEEZzix_EddzuJ5QdHHmwd9563EKlS9ngBMgiAPzptiK4HSsE5AkY3ml97AOZxbjXws7yNf_wooQ83W5sJp4XiJsWE/s1600/2010_04_24+009.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMfECUaoVhHQNzgCfD7ApIb8VVy3_LULBAT7c92cdZeMYd57NZNEEZzix_EddzuJ5QdHHmwd9563EKlS9ngBMgiAPzptiK4HSsE5AkY3ml97AOZxbjXws7yNf_wooQ83W5sJp4XiJsWE/s200/2010_04_24+009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465184364553422322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVheoGnkfeXMMLxoH4oQEoFhhAGkXIEzqTqc5ZUg0eUqy8BUA-7RJyOTlpffCRszrmNaX2YeglJ89DkZ9IrP0vHRwLfXYRderR3_hFJgKY7RyIHeTrsTb2r1iqh4vjFznCUk57e40drM/s1600/2010_04_24+011.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVheoGnkfeXMMLxoH4oQEoFhhAGkXIEzqTqc5ZUg0eUqy8BUA-7RJyOTlpffCRszrmNaX2YeglJ89DkZ9IrP0vHRwLfXYRderR3_hFJgKY7RyIHeTrsTb2r1iqh4vjFznCUk57e40drM/s200/2010_04_24+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465184362316370882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEYoOZfieQzMlV5KLu9bEkFJJ-k1uPG9R7SdOHS3EP5l3YPEDuEgL585IIi71Iquo34-HHZ4S_DH5qSWn5Dj07Is1oeg13_Ec_awomQ4ctXin86F9-w9RXHXL5AyzrVXGOiqVkLHDEmQ/s1600/2010_04_24+016.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEYoOZfieQzMlV5KLu9bEkFJJ-k1uPG9R7SdOHS3EP5l3YPEDuEgL585IIi71Iquo34-HHZ4S_DH5qSWn5Dj07Is1oeg13_Ec_awomQ4ctXin86F9-w9RXHXL5AyzrVXGOiqVkLHDEmQ/s200/2010_04_24+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465184356436843922" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-722759196051855662010-04-24T18:58:00.000-07:002010-04-24T19:29:41.114-07:00Preparing For RAI...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3-dFs3cZTgzKMH0JowUFdwXgemVueOuDwbVNt3Q8Y1ZniyFJ0ReF8EhC1l2w39IRhrmDqRgOf1qi-K4uGp0oiRh6oi-hE6fCv5j2TDymgb44C_RuRdOAC1uD04fwUEm93ZywVfCyWdI/s1600/2010_04_13+002.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3-dFs3cZTgzKMH0JowUFdwXgemVueOuDwbVNt3Q8Y1ZniyFJ0ReF8EhC1l2w39IRhrmDqRgOf1qi-K4uGp0oiRh6oi-hE6fCv5j2TDymgb44C_RuRdOAC1uD04fwUEm93ZywVfCyWdI/s200/2010_04_13+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463896425835584626" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ptiNuVnNvkn7BgAy0ixm0OOEwe4F55FpTrAUzfC21e9eV202C2WiNRvG9E9geOr81eNjYVfCTCZoHOI4XbBpV3cjpsG0qSfXv_mAo9rCOb3X_rmgn-o8Zvc6FyoqiskxMmcpGYPyIn8/s1600/2010_04_14.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ptiNuVnNvkn7BgAy0ixm0OOEwe4F55FpTrAUzfC21e9eV202C2WiNRvG9E9geOr81eNjYVfCTCZoHOI4XbBpV3cjpsG0qSfXv_mAo9rCOb3X_rmgn-o8Zvc6FyoqiskxMmcpGYPyIn8/s200/2010_04_14.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463896416087853442" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDFMszQxTwcNubEHhXrpxfF4bsmEgw2xSLwYda3JtovT2s78iMLwrZHNhpYPif4YlPqYbb68ExoKknYqHNW0VoOkeXLKaqAe3tW67dZ8efQWG21qat98v-Pbx2ecGdTQPGDptv9TR3w4/s1600/2010_04_15+004.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDFMszQxTwcNubEHhXrpxfF4bsmEgw2xSLwYda3JtovT2s78iMLwrZHNhpYPif4YlPqYbb68ExoKknYqHNW0VoOkeXLKaqAe3tW67dZ8efQWG21qat98v-Pbx2ecGdTQPGDptv9TR3w4/s200/2010_04_15+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463896412228675474" /></a><br /><br /><br />Before I post something from today, I wanted to catch up with some things I've had to do since my diagnosis of thyroid cancer. When Monday, April 5 came around I had to start a low iodine diet. That was absolutely NO fun! It didn't start out being that bad, but by the end, I was having to FORCE myself to eat. The choices I had for the food I ate on this diet were so limited! I couldn't have any dairy products, nothing from the sea, nothing from a can, etc. I could pretty well only have fresh or frozen fruits and veggies and meat (about 3 oz. a day), as long as they didn't contain salt. I could eat salt, but not the iodized version. It had to be Plain salt. The purpose of this diet was to starve the remaining thyroid cells of iodine so that when I took the radioactive iodine, they would soak the RADIOACTIVE iodine up, and be killed off. I found out that there is really no such thing as a total thyroidectomy, even though I had had one. They have to leave some of the thyroid cells in there. <br /><br />On April 12 and 13 my family and I had to make a trip to the Cancer Center in a neighboring town so I could get a thyrogen shot each day. The first day also included some blood work. Then on Wednesday, April 14, I made a trip to the hospital in this same neighboring town by myself to take the Radioactive Iodine (RAI) pill. I had to be separated from from my family for about 4 days because I was RADIOACTIVE!!! I even had to wear a bracelet for 4 days so in case something happened, people would be aware of my state of RADIOACTIVITY. =) I missed them all so much, but I enjoyed not having to fuss at anyone and not doing ANYTHING!!! S. thought since I was radioactive I had these supernatural powers. She held up a blade of grass and wanted me to burn it! I tried staring at it as hard as I could, but it just wouldn't burn!!! LOL<br /><br />By Friday, April 16, I received word from my doctor's office that I could go back to eating normal!! Praise the LORD!!! I still had to be careful, though because I felt like I couldn't handle just anything. <br /><br />This past Thursday, April 22, I went back to the hospital to have my scan. The lady said things seemed to look okay. I hope to hear from my doctor in the next few days to hear the "official word."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-75689117245543543932010-03-04T19:17:00.000-08:002010-03-05T06:24:10.623-08:00CANCERIsn't that one of the most AWFUL words - one that a person never expects to hear, because it happens to other people, not yourself. Well, I went to my post appointment today and found out that my thyroid had cancer in it. It caught me off guard, but it didn't shake me. Maybe because God has been gearing me for this as He's taken me through these last weeks, and I've had to deal with fear issues. God gave me a verse, and I'm still holding onto it even now! Isaiah 43:4 "Do not fear, for I AM with you!!!" <br /><br />I truly believe that God's hand has been in this all along. This didn't take Him by surprise. He's known it!! Most people only have half of their thyroid removed, only to find out it was cancerous, and then they have to open them back up to remove the other half. They removed my whole entire thyroid because it was so large. Therefore, they removed ALL of the cancer. All of my lymph nodes came back negative, so the doctor feels like all of it was contained in my thyroid. He explained to me that there are three things they do when they get results back like this. The first thing is that they remove the thyroid. The second is they start you on Synthroid. And thirdly, you have to drink this radioactive stuff. Considering the first two have already been taken care of, I only have to do the last of the three. I won't start that for about another 4 weeks or so. <br /><br />Once again, I covet your prayers! Thank you so much!!<br /><br />Added March 5, 2010<br />As I reflected over my post this morning, it dawned on me about HOW God answered one of my prayers I had before the surgery. I had been praying that God would keep me protected from cancer, and it dawned on me that HE DID!! You see, I had cancer BEFORE my surgery, and I didn't know it. Now after my surgery, it's GONE!!! He PROTECTED me from it!!! You know, He amazes me so many times!!!! I'm so glad I serve an all knowing, ever protective God who loves me more than I could ever imagine!!! And I think, if I had known I had cancer before the surgery, it would have made me worry more than I did!! Thank you, Jesus!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-11107369883750661852010-03-03T12:54:00.000-08:002010-03-03T16:58:08.969-08:00More Snow!I could hardly believe it yesterday when it started snowing!!! We had had some beautiful spring days, and it just surprised me! It didn't stick but just for a short bit. Then by the time it DID start sticking, it began to rain, and it melted. The flakes were BIG and BEAUTIFUL as they fell, and I was able to get a few shots with my camera from standing at the doorway. As much as I LOVE snow, I hope we're done for the winter. Come on spring!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-14827271162546082542010-02-25T19:21:00.000-08:002010-02-25T22:11:33.329-08:00Surgery<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MNNVd29e5djmWwfuXxGprVKhcfhSeN6FVU84d1JDdaatdcKNWyhGGg9IyaDFIc1ONJlZvBTvrMMKXEDSsAmDIpvYSWMv_72rNd5G2HgLrT-pO_TioStxHSRVQRY38ovMd7e9SgFSxFc/s1600-h/2010_02_25.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MNNVd29e5djmWwfuXxGprVKhcfhSeN6FVU84d1JDdaatdcKNWyhGGg9IyaDFIc1ONJlZvBTvrMMKXEDSsAmDIpvYSWMv_72rNd5G2HgLrT-pO_TioStxHSRVQRY38ovMd7e9SgFSxFc/s200/2010_02_25.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442430660633269474" /></a><br />I like what someone told me one time about surgery. They said, "Surgery is not major unless it's happening to you!" How true that is!!! I've had over 2 months to worry about this surgery, and it seemed the closer the date got the more worried I became. I had to continuously take captive the thoughts which were not true, noble, lovely, pure, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, and turn them over to the Lord. I tell you, it was a BATTLE!!!! <br /><br />But, then, the BATTLE became BEAUTIFUL!!! I knew people were praying for me, and I heard such words of encouragement from many people this past Sunday night, BUT I still was very nervous. I prayed about God giving me a peace about the surgery, but I just couldn't stop worrying about it...until Monday night. I can't explain it, but it had to have been people praying for me. I FELT God's peace wash over me, and I actually slept well until 3:30AM when my alarm clock went off!!! I got up, got ready, and still I was peaceful. Was I still worried? Yes, a little, but God's peace was stronger, and I RESTED in it!!! It was amazing. In my Bible reading from the previous day, God gave me such words of encouragement to cling to. It came from Isaiah 43, verses 1-2.<br /><br />Now, this is what the Lord says - the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel - "Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are MINE. I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire and the flame will not burn you."<br /><br />And then in Isaiah 43:4, He said, "Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and I love you, I will give human beings in your place, and peoples in place of your life. DO NOT FEAR, FOR I AM WITH YOU!!!!!!" <br /><br />I literally clung to that last line, and I constantly repeated it throughout the day, on the way to the hospital, and even as I lay there in bed, waiting for them to poke needles and such in me.<br /><br />The surgery was supposed to only take about a couple of hours, even though they allot 3 for it. My surgery took 3 1/2 hours. My doctor told me I got all of his 17 years of experience in that one operation. My thyroid was large, much larger than what anyone realized. We knew it was underneath both sides of my collarbone, but nobody knew that it had grown around my voice box to where it almost touched on the backside of it. The doctor came in the next morning to shake my hand and congratulate me, telling me that I was in his top 10 most worst surgeries he's ever done!!!<br /><br />Let me just say that I know God's hand was in it. We can't live in "what if's", but who knows what would have happened to my voice if we had waited any longer about having my thyroid removed. I imagine I might have been without a voice, which is NOT a terrible thing, but it would have been an adjustment. I'm so thankful that God in His infinite wisdom orchestrated all of this, and the surgeon got the thyroid out without any complications other than it being physically tiring for him!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-75731001519527732552010-02-25T19:12:00.001-08:002010-02-25T21:37:24.392-08:00Will You Be My Valentine?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R4jKHsv0nIuRob62jtaIzsP6RaQlxSGJh1rsaur0Nl_NXm9pN2k_FhQ0JA2pVyYpgEtm25nK_PQpVNWUtbyDPUu4X-i_2zrw_kj5AEGcauLPqMbuQsY4NJSty8jvkWXXscMwzh5Oj98/s1600-h/2010_02_13+154.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9R4jKHsv0nIuRob62jtaIzsP6RaQlxSGJh1rsaur0Nl_NXm9pN2k_FhQ0JA2pVyYpgEtm25nK_PQpVNWUtbyDPUu4X-i_2zrw_kj5AEGcauLPqMbuQsY4NJSty8jvkWXXscMwzh5Oj98/s200/2010_02_13+154.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442421934402052354" /></a><br />Who could have asked for a better Valentine's weekend?? It was a beautiful, snowy weekend, and my hubby was so sweet! He came in Saturday night, and gave me a bouquet of flowers. They were white and trimmed with a dark pink - something simple, but beautiful! He got his parents to watch the kids for us on Monday, and he took me out for a lunch date! It was a nice time. I truly love my husband!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-47191002638290449342010-02-25T18:53:00.000-08:002010-02-25T21:34:12.673-08:00Snow, Snow, and More Snow!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMYilx6baYlwzrNdjNydOEG_K6srm0DB2sRuESnhbg2ab5oS3-Qaa6yRld0fVyVBUWbsawbkmQVtr_EQJuylj5nif2dVrvpx10Vfb1OrCHfGkIh3nrsW6WDcBFeUZX_3OHgschN5hu80/s1600-h/2010_02_12+026.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMYilx6baYlwzrNdjNydOEG_K6srm0DB2sRuESnhbg2ab5oS3-Qaa6yRld0fVyVBUWbsawbkmQVtr_EQJuylj5nif2dVrvpx10Vfb1OrCHfGkIh3nrsW6WDcBFeUZX_3OHgschN5hu80/s200/2010_02_12+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442420140606708642" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqo49U-Rj8vwcNRLo45RRenJyae4Wg_dB88RQay9NgxJ0or5u787iKfkWKnMG5POGNNa6X0OtcKyytS9SrfbRchwJt1RxRJSCrKcFCfAZA97O0ysoPTyUEpsQDTAS4ercCRVblXB3irw/s1600-h/2010_02_12+062.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqo49U-Rj8vwcNRLo45RRenJyae4Wg_dB88RQay9NgxJ0or5u787iKfkWKnMG5POGNNa6X0OtcKyytS9SrfbRchwJt1RxRJSCrKcFCfAZA97O0ysoPTyUEpsQDTAS4ercCRVblXB3irw/s200/2010_02_12+062.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442420134978853250" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VG2ZEyEmu_uO4iCS90L44LCDDcaxBsMuWQkZgjIorNMqfskDCexwJL88zpOyoiu9uxkKxEHipbcw0dnFlwtfOFekAHOWJlqb3mnRiQR7AKa1j7sRLCWYhmBRdus4UoIrTLnuVKXZsjk/s1600-h/2010_02_12+097.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VG2ZEyEmu_uO4iCS90L44LCDDcaxBsMuWQkZgjIorNMqfskDCexwJL88zpOyoiu9uxkKxEHipbcw0dnFlwtfOFekAHOWJlqb3mnRiQR7AKa1j7sRLCWYhmBRdus4UoIrTLnuVKXZsjk/s200/2010_02_12+097.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442420132499961810" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRogkMtA6QhN-UpJ-h5ncEIJR12oM-uHrLAXggjo-pbGr9l_JX-DrN6foPZZy8FPepWkpq4Ipd3HcTWg1m4HcXQvGU2Z_JpjT9OAYgt30G46_VJE6LxMJYy_lFCfP90LjI9huGBwaMqA/s1600-h/2010_02_12+102.jpg"><img style="float:left; 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margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiss0PGt4lDKZzfnB30bvYH24qm-ffdnBE1ekhL0Rge5u9Civvo7r9IqwHS5KgQwNJ0I-xLHiwRsf2UZXa1QQDySP3pG5paVJNwqTRYysN0QZYjXZw9PCq-_fpMCPs7MJ3mjM0v4APptps/s200/2010_02_13+065.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442407250878931538" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFeq8hyphenhyphenACDL09AjOj41VSJnsGetpfjbWGPihhnK1AQWENf0SHU6WHv9yIkf_ycFMI62letFElurDfrmIOt-fWI-x_pDQSK37DERMYzGu_lQBbmPGosqdjoSvKqcZ8OaNGe_F2Hx_YB04/s1600-h/2010_02_13+066.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFeq8hyphenhyphenACDL09AjOj41VSJnsGetpfjbWGPihhnK1AQWENf0SHU6WHv9yIkf_ycFMI62letFElurDfrmIOt-fWI-x_pDQSK37DERMYzGu_lQBbmPGosqdjoSvKqcZ8OaNGe_F2Hx_YB04/s200/2010_02_13+066.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442407246357748418" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnO9NLMTV3TKTtfRMb9Y8TpxZ0SdZ85JUDsjTkw_unt4OvW-23Lev-gyj2485Z7PQ8rfgAL9Qt63HzB8mc5vh0addWdMbXDwgm1quBZLLLi79ZIGcy64yB3GIS2RQ2kbx9N6H41k3iP0/s1600-h/2010_02_13+067.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnO9NLMTV3TKTtfRMb9Y8TpxZ0SdZ85JUDsjTkw_unt4OvW-23Lev-gyj2485Z7PQ8rfgAL9Qt63HzB8mc5vh0addWdMbXDwgm1quBZLLLi79ZIGcy64yB3GIS2RQ2kbx9N6H41k3iP0/s200/2010_02_13+067.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442407244325613506" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7D165J1nWHRhWRJ9hWUhgEQMZ6L9ph2floYxN9Af_zfOb__oKm25ya0CY22sojkDCquzk6CWJdW7LqXcyD8OXzk5Mlyjq7TICwXaOX7CA-2RH9RQeeLspPnLubLBFYOdJt6NDBgIgHE/s1600-h/2010_02_13+068.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7D165J1nWHRhWRJ9hWUhgEQMZ6L9ph2floYxN9Af_zfOb__oKm25ya0CY22sojkDCquzk6CWJdW7LqXcyD8OXzk5Mlyjq7TICwXaOX7CA-2RH9RQeeLspPnLubLBFYOdJt6NDBgIgHE/s200/2010_02_13+068.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442407237708475650" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtXdxggIFs_hxyNIKC6eNxuRb8vI0XB9SH7e3vyV8CikOfh77skPKqlifPyD24mqvj_EGvSm76Y4tQ_oFRR_Md5RBj7-luGsWidEd22-Nwf6zPOh7iZrg9x8YlMYTig7rdbZMjAS5uiY/s1600-h/2010_02_13+132.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtXdxggIFs_hxyNIKC6eNxuRb8vI0XB9SH7e3vyV8CikOfh77skPKqlifPyD24mqvj_EGvSm76Y4tQ_oFRR_Md5RBj7-luGsWidEd22-Nwf6zPOh7iZrg9x8YlMYTig7rdbZMjAS5uiY/s200/2010_02_13+132.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442407211683013730" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />sigh I feel like I'm always running behind. I want to keep up with my life on this blog, but, unfortunately, "life" gets in the way!!! =) <br /><br />I LOVE snow!!!! I always look forward to at least one good snow each winter, and I was beginning to wonder about it this year. We had a couple of little "teases" or dustings, if you will, but on Friday, February 12, 2010, it began to snow, and it snowed, and it snowed, and it snowed, and it snowed!!!! It was STILL snowing when I went to bed, and believe me, I stayed up late to watch it!! 8) It was the pure, clean, white snow; there was no ice in it all!! We got out in it and played, and of course I made pictures! <br /><br />What is it about snow that brings the kid out in all of us? I don't know, but I know it's just about one of the most beautiful scenes that God could ever come up with. I love the soft, quiet, stillness in the air. I love the pure whiteness piled up against a blue sky. It all points me to OUR Creator, and I stand in awe and wonderment!!! It literally takes my breath away! <br /><br />I hope you enjoy the photos when I post them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-53512952058613844542010-02-11T18:51:00.000-08:002010-02-11T19:53:12.197-08:00Ode To a Homeschooling MomI have often wondered how June Cleaver did it. But then I realize, she didn't homeschool little Beaver and Wally. So how can I be June Cleaver AND homeschool? The truth is, I CAN'T!!! We were having some listening and paying attention issues during our school time yesterday, and I had had enough, so I pulled out my "you're going to public school card" and played it. (If you homeschool, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.) C. was in tears, and I was in tears. I walked out of the room, changed into some comfortable clothes, praying about what to do, asking God to forgive me, and began washing dishes. My son didn't know what to think because I had told him that I had resigned as his teacher. Bless his heart, he didn't even know what that meant, so I had to take the time to explain it to him. As I was washing dishes, he brought a piece a paper over to me, stood at my side and let me read it. It read, "I am sory that I did thos things wil you frgiv me I am rily rily sory". I started talking to him about the "things" to which he was referring. He had misunderstood what I had been upset about, so I tried to explain in the best way I knew how so that he could understand. He left my side, with his note in hand, and went back to the table, I thought, to do some more work. He then came back to my side, and then decides to stand IN FRONT of me so I could see his note straight on. This is what he added to his previous note, "Wil you be mi teachr I love your teching". By this point, tears are streaming down my cheeks, with my repentant heart feeling so heavy, I bowed my head and boo hooed. C. began boo hooing, too. I'm sure he felt he had done something terribly wrong, so I asked him to come around to me, and I hugged him so hard!!!! I told him that was one of the sweetest notes that I've EVER received, I loved him, and YES, I would be his teacher again. <br /><br />I fail so many times as a mother, a teacher, a wife, but God seems to somehow use my children to show me what forgiveness truly is. He uses them to touch my heart, and He gets my attention through them A LOT!! I wouldn't trade any of my roles for anything, even when I fall flat on my face. Of course, when I fall, I don't fall directly on my face, but God catches me in His loving arms! Oh, how I am so very thankful!!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-83247654409165148032010-02-11T18:10:00.000-08:002010-02-11T19:52:08.981-08:00Praise ReportsI don't know how too many people get by without prayer. I'm a FIRM BELIEVER in prayer. We've been praying about my upcoming surgery and how much my thyroid is extending into my chest, if it is at all. PRAISE THE LORD I received a phone call that it is NOT extending into my chest, and it should be no problem to remove. We were also concerned about insurance not covering the CT scan, but we received a letter stating that they are!!! God is so good!!!<br /><br />I went for a laryngoscopy last week to check out my vocal chords. That's where they take this tiny camera and shove it up your nose and down your throat to take pics of the vocal chords. It didn't hurt at all, but was more of a pressured feeling in my nose. I'm just thankful that I didn't sneeze!!! LOL The ENT doc told me my chords look good. (There is still a risk, however, with them being damaged during surgery, but I'm just relying on prayer and my Lord!)<br /><br />Then today was echocardiogram day to check out the heart murmur I've had since I was a child. My pediatrician back then seemed to think I would outgrow it, but I never have. I haven't received the results from it yet, but I did find out the name of my murmur. It's HOCM. I have NO CLUE as to what that stands for. The technician told me, but it was so long and such an unfamiliar term that it basically went in one ear and slid right out the other side. 8)<br /><br />Surgery is 1 week from Tuesday, and I greatly appreciate prayers. My mind is my worst enemy, and that is where I have a battle going on most of the time. I have to take my thoughts captive and surrender them to the Lord, and ask Him for His help to replace them with true, noble, lovely, and pleasing thoughts. And yet again, prayer is working!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />So, is there something that you need help with? Are you going through a difficult time? Prayer works!! Let me know if I can pray for you, and I will do it! God bless!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350716341944581057.post-76508132482412558292010-01-20T20:05:00.000-08:002010-01-20T20:44:01.337-08:00A Kid At HeartI stayed up waaaaaay too late last night to play this new Wii game my children bought. I'm paying for it now in two ways. The first consequence is obvious - I'm tired!! The second one is not obvious at all, but I can seriously FEEL it! My arms are sooooo sore!!! "Why?" you ask. Well, after playing some of the Toy Story Mania games, in order to score extra points, one must shake the remote, spin it in a given direction, bounce it up and down, etc. I used muscles in my arms that I didn't even know existed!!! Well, they have now been located!!! Thankfully we've had some warmer weather here so I've not had to wear a jacket. I tried to put one on just to wear around the house, and I had to seek help just to put it on!!! SERIOUSLY!!! <br /><br />I LOVED playing those games, and if the truth be told, I will play them again - with or without the children. And, yes, I will probably pay for it again, too, but that's okay. Maybe I'm just a kid at heart... :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0