My Life, My Journey, My Calling

We are moving!!!

2010-10-10T12:55:00.002-05:00

We have been busy the last couple of months with selling my dad's house and purchasing our new house in the Sulphur Springs area. We are so excited about the move as it will have Chris and I both closer to our work. It was the longest process ever just trying to close on both houses. Chris and I were on the phone daily for the past 3 - 4 weeks with bankers, surveyors and the title companies. It was grueling, but we finally closed on our new house this past Friday. Once we are completely moved, we will then put our house up on the market.

I have lived in a log home for the past 26 years with having no opportunity to paint walls, so you can imagine my overwhelming excitement over picking and choosing paint colors. It is awesome! I finally made decisions and started painting over the weekend. I began choosing colors back in July when I knew we were going to move.

The house we bought was a relocation and we bought it from Coca-Cola's relocation company. We absolutely love it and cannot wait to finish up all the painting and moving. We feel so blessed and we are so thankful that God opened up the doors for us to move.

I GRADUATED.....YAY

2010-06-11T03:23:00.005-05:00

Yep, finally...I graduted my certificate program for Non-Profit Leadership and Management Program in Austin, Texas....no more driving unless I just absolutely want too. This last year, one of the reasons I have not been able to post or do most anything is because I have been attending a program in Austin. I received a scholarship or half of one to attend....I was very excited that I was even accepted. MIRACLE!!! I have been so blessed and have learned so much about myself in the process which has been priceless. I can't even begin to tell you all that I learned throughout the year, but it has been wonderful meeting so many new people from so many different cultures, different backgrounds beliefs and everything else in between. I have grown to have an appreciation for all people. God has taught me to love people on a deeper level, learning to separate beliefs and backgrounds from people...He let me know that He loves all people. Who am I to think that some people are better than others or that I am better than anyone....this was just part of what I learned about myself. I feel as though on a spiritual level with what I am doing in the non-profit world and the women and children that I will be serving, I needed to learn this to even begin to help them. It was a great lesson for me. I had always thought I loved people enough, but God taught me that I didn't. I still had hang-ups, prejudices etc. and that I didn't love like He wanted me too. Sometimes, as a Christian, I help give us Christians a bad name which is so not my intention, but unconsiously, I do. I am a work in progress and hope I never get to a day that I am through learning more about myself. I thank God for this class that taught me so much on all sorts of levels. If anyone is ever interested in applying, it is through TANO (Texas Association of Non-Profit Organizations) held at Austin Community College.

These are some of the greatest new friends that I have made while in Austin, just a handfull...Victoria is one of the absolute best professional auctioneers I have ever witnessed raising 15 million or more in the last few weeks, working all across the US. Julia in between has become my second mom, FAMILY....with her daughter Natalia on the right who let me be a roommate while I stayed in Austin for the last year and her nephew Rocco, the cute little boy.
My awesome Cohort group in class whom I will miss greatly and already missing our conference calls...we had so much fun with our projects as you can tell. Christine Torres, JoAnn Swahn, Jane Murray, me, Heather Eilers and Daniel Guerrero, wonderful crew here.
Most of my class members...most precious people

I think I am the blurred vision across the stage, I see the bottom half of my face on the screen anyway.

My wonderful friend Candyss Bryant addressing our class, she was responsible for me getting accepted and the scholarship...her job with TANO is endless. She also works with the Army Rangers and you may see her on Fox News at some point sponsoring a few Army Ranger sniper sports

The awesome ever talented Barry Silverberg, President of Texas Association of Non-Profit Organizations...he loved using his cane to slap the desk to get our attention jokingly. He is a hoot and a complete clown...we love him!

My Son Zach

2009-09-04T04:17:00.002-05:00

My son Zachary is such a sweetheart....He loves the Lord and he did this skit as Dennis at his back to school rally this week....well, I took my camera like a good mom but didn't check my batteries and only got Jordan Ramsey introducing him (sorry, you will miss that part).....I made Zach do the skit again once he got home because my husband had to work and he couldn't be there to watch....I so wish that you could have seen it with the audience interaction along with the lighting, but the message is still the same.....very good!!!! I hope you enjoy it!!!! I hope that you pass it along and share it with your friends....I have already gotten a couple of calls, one was from a place where they do occupational therapy where they deal with handicaps all day and it really touched them. SO please copy all you want and pass along.

Mission Project Sulphur Springs

2009-08-01T15:32:00.003-05:00

This summer our church took on a local mission project. A man, Finis Attlesey passed away and donated this house to our church....we decided to update it and use it as a house for missionaries that are on furlough. There were several different groups that took on different projects....this was part of the new landscaping.

Starting the kitchen.
The painting of all the rooms

This was my project, the tile work, two bathrooms, a shower and a hallway.

One hard worker painting....we worked with some very precious people.

Other than my husband, this man may be my next favorite guy....Don Brown...he and his wife, Nora have been such precious people to me and have supported me in what I do. I love them both so very much.

Bathroom tiled

New ceiling fan put up, looks so gorgeous.

Fireplace painted, looks fabulous.

We had tools everywhere.....definately a work in progress.

Two very hard workers, Ashley and Jeananne who helped me with the bathrooms....they were such a joy to work with and get to know.

Two very hard little workers taking a rest....they did a lot for all of us and were so ready to learn how to do everything....they were such blessings.

We had to tear out marble tile that was so thick, and really was hard on our backs.

The bathroom tear out.

After tearing out the marble tile, this is what we felt like....it even broke our ax....I made Chris lay down on the floor while I outlined him for the next group that came in....I told them that we tore out the marble tile, but it was a killer....everyone got a kick out of it....I think I got more of one than anyone else....I have a sick sense of humor probably.

2009-06-14T23:34:00.003-05:00

I started biking for the first time a few weeks ago when my husband bought me a new bike and not just any bike, a "Trek 7100 Hybrid"...I had no idea how much a good bike would make a difference, well it does. I recently biked 20.5 miles and will be doing it again this week....I have found that I really love biking....it is sad that it took me 43 years to realize how much I loved it...I have gone crazy with it and we have started a biking club for women in a nearby town....which my husband loves and is now our new maintenance guy for all of our bikes.

This past weekend, I kept my little grandbaby Alli....my daughter and her husband brought her over and to bribe her to stay with me, I told her that when the sun woke up, we would go bike riding....she loved that idea. Usually when I keep her, she always wakes up and asks to eat, not this weekend....the first thing she says is, "I wanna ride bike"...we had to eat first though before we went off on our journey....she was ready....I put her helmet on and she modeled it for me for a couple of pictures, but she was ready to go....I fixed her up a water bottle and we were off....we went close to 4.5 miles and my tire went a little flat, mostly because of the recent storms that brought down a ton of trees in our area....so we came back home....it was so hot that when I took her little helmet off, her head was soaking wet....she loved her ride, we ate lunch and then took a long NAP afterwards....here is Alli getting ready for the bike ride.

Come on Grandma "T", I am ready to ride in the bike.

I bought this in a garage sale along with a running stroller for a total of $50.00...a great buy, I have the bike trailer, now hopefully one day, I will start running as well....who knows, we have enough room for two kids at once in both....Alli is all set to go, but waiting on "T" to get a few pictures and she was getting annoyed.
Now it is time to go and look at that grin, she is so excited about going.....she can hardly wait with water bottle in hand, strapped in and helmet on....we are off and ready.

Project "Front Porch"

2009-04-19T20:34:00.008-05:00

Recently my mother was going to get rid of her front porch white wicker furniture...I asked her if I could have it since she was going to throw it away....she also had a swing that was green and the cushions were very weathered and she wanted to get rid of it too...I asked if I could have that too....she just wanted to throw them away thinking that they were ruined....I could see a lot of potential in it all with a few cans of paint and new cushions...I brought them home and repainted and now have a brand new front porch and it is my very favorite place to be...every morning drinking coffee and Bible study, and then sometimes, I even take my laptop out to do work....it has kept me busy and really liking working outdoors and staying out there....I am enjoying every minute of it until the hot Texas weather hits, then I am not sure where I will be.

This is the long view from one end...I even painted our old swing that I had on our front porch that is in the front part of this picture and added a cushion.
The swing she thought had no hope, I primed and painted it, added cushons and a new canopy...the canopy if just pinned up there temporarily since my sewing machine is not working...I have to buy a new sewing machine.
This is a close up view...it is now a chocolate brown instead of a green.

Just part of the wicker furniture, it came with this little love seat, a plant stand, two chairs and a table that are all grouped together

I added a cross by the front door that one of my mother's friends gave me. I thought it added a nice touch...don't look at the shadow of the woman in the window.

The old swing that my husband painted red along with the porch, the back porch, the poles on the back porch...he went a little red happy and I thought I would blend in some new colors, making the red porch not stand out as much.

There's a monster in the closet

2009-04-17T21:12:00.009-05:00

Many of you may never have heard the little kids song, "There's a monster in the closet and the ghosts are on the wall, so why do you keep telling me there's nothing there at all"...it s a little children's song that Chris used to play with his guitar and sing to the kids and they would get so excited and get louder and louder when they sang it...it is just talking about a little kid who saw monster's in the closet when the lights went out and basically wanted to get out of bed...the kids loved it and my littlest one would get his play guitar out and pretend to be like Chris playing and singing it...it was a really cute song...and we have some great memories, video's and pictures of him singing it.

This past weekend, my daughter and grandbaby came over for a visit...my daughter tried on Alli's little Easter dress for me and of course she had to have shoes to go with it and this was the result of her search...as you can see, it looks like a monster was in my closet and she destroyed a rack of shoes and pulled them all out to try on, not matching many pairs...I did happen to get one picture of a perfect shoe match...it so reminded me of that little song and the great memories that we have had with all of our children through the years.

Here is a little picture of her little Easter dress that she never got to wear, she got Scarlett Fever before she had a chance to wear it, but she is better now.
I had to take a picture of her smelling the tulips that our neighbor brought over before they left to go back home to Michigan. They were so beautiful until Alli got a hold of them and tore the pedals off one by one.

When Alli first got here, she jumped in my lap knowing I had my camera ready and said "cheese" really big. She is the funniest little kid.

Anniversaries

2009-04-08T00:03:00.002-05:00

Anniversaries....what a scary word for some of us....we all have them....an anniversary of some kind. I have just gone through the anniversary of my dad's death and it was harder than I had ever imagined...it has taken me awhile to get back to normal....thus the reason for not blogging....I have to admit, I miss the blogging world, I have been keeping myself busy with projects at home, at work and other people's projects. Anything to keep my mind off of realizing that I have been without my dad for over a year now.

I am coming up on the anniversary of my son leaving for the Marine Corp. that forever changed him as a man....a husband...and someone I cannot even relate to anymore. I am so thankful that he is happily married, but I miss my son.

The anniversary of the death of my friend's son, Justin....thinking of how beautiful he was and how he loved the unlovable people in the world and had so much to offer and the heartbreak that his parents are still going through when they received that phone call on Easter Sunday 4 years ago.

The anniversary of the death of my step dad who was shot and killed by his brother on the church parking lot just 5 years ago.

The anniversary of receiving a 28,000 square foot building free of charge.

I have been going through all of these different anniversaries and completely forgot about my marriage anniversary....has any other woman forgot her anniversary before? I have been so focused on the heartbreaking anniversaries that I forgot to celebrate the one great anniversary with the love of my life. How sad, I have been so busy being depressed, grieving and feeling sorry for myself and those that I love that I forgot to be thankful for the anniversaries that I still have. It is sad when a husband has to remind his wife in front of a neighbor that you just met that it is your anniversary. What does a woman do to make up for fogetting? How do I make it up to my husband who in the past several months has been a walking Jesus to me....how grateful I am and full of love for my man who has been walking with me, treating me like a QUEEN. I have no tricks up my sleeve....no ideas of what I should do, I am completely clueless. Does anyone have any ideas (did I forget to mention that it has to be on a small budget)....what can I do? Please help!!!

Bathroom

2009-03-03T20:39:00.006-06:00

Here is the bathroom, but actually, I have changed up a few things already but haven't taken any new pictures....I recovered this chair a couple of years ago and had it in my office at work. I have added black toile pillows in it to match the black toile shower curtain and the valance over the window. I wish you could also see the wall paint color better, this is not a true picture of the color....it is a richer golden yellow, I mixed colors together to get the color I wanted.

I actually hung the light fixture here, I couldn't wait for my husband to get home to do it....so I got impatient and did it and it actually works.....hung the mirror, did some of the plumbing, and the fixtures on the sink.

I got this baker's rack from my very good friend, Kim a few year's ago. It was in my kitchen and it was actually my inspiration for redoing the bathroom, I couldn't wait to get it in the bathroom. I have taken a couple of things off of this rack and it has very minimal things on it.

This is the ladder rack that I love from Lowe's....I have taken the toilet paper from the bottom and added a huge brown basket on the bottom shelf and added a little more touch on the top shelf.

This is the black toile that I chose to add to the bathroom and I love it....it compliments the room with the touch of red in the chair.

The tub tile that I am proud to say that I put in....I still have to caulk around the edges. I love the shower head on this, it feels like a rain shower when you are in it.

This is the second light fixture that I put in myself being impatient and not being able to wait on Chris to get home.

Loaded Questions

2009-02-18T15:50:00.004-06:00

Where have I been? That is a loaded question.....I have been so busy working on taxes, and sending out receipts of donations, training my board members for the ministry, handing some things over to them so that I don't have to do them anymore, trying to get things going on our roof at Chrysalis House for the Spring, but mostly reading all of the books that my CPA gave me to read on all the new tax laws, all 6 books (they are so thick too).....although I have to admit, they do make for good sleeping pills. I have been reading them over and over again, not the books themselves, but the same sentence over and over again and I haven't gotten through one book yet, they are that boring. It takes a special person to become a CPA, I admire all of them. I have also been doing so much research on grants.....retaking classes on grant writing and just a ton of other things that keep me so busy and away from the computer doing the fun things that I love to do. I am pretty much a home body for the next couple of months reading, writing and researching....other than a doctor visit or eye appointment here and there. Had to get new glasses, bifocals actually.....that is right, I am getting older.

I also in the process found a way to finish my bathroom and am hoping that I will have time to post pictures of my finished bathroom soon.....there are still just a couple of things I need to finish in it, but they are so minor, I may have to finally pay someone to finish it because when you get down to this point, you don't even want to go in it. Love to you all who have been concerned for me....I have just been a hermit crab lately and into myself with all of the things that are going on. I am sorry if I have neglected all of you, please say you will forgive me, for now anyway.

Color, Color, Color and more Color

2008-12-15T21:47:00.007-06:00

Well, as you can tell, I have painted the bathroom, only this picture doesn't do it justice....it was way too dark, and wasn't the color that it was supposed to be....so I let it sit for a day and a half to let it dry to see if I could live with it....well I couldn't, so I painted it again.

If you can see the difference here....there is a little of the dark on top.....I mixed the white and the dark together and actually got the color that I was going for the first time....this picture still doesn't allow you to really see the true color due to the lighting in the bathroom....the window is closed and there is one small light.
Late at night and still painting....I am working on retouching the ceiling.
What is more fun than painting your ceiling pink? Nothing, except making your son think it is going to stay pink....it is the kind of paint that goes on pink so that you can tell where you have painted, but turns a bright white....it was so much fun making him think I was painting it pink though....I finally had to fess up and tell him the truth....because he was getting upset. Can you tell why my neck hurts so much lately. This is the third and fourth coat I have painted.
Trying to look happy while painting....but hurting like a dog (not sure how a dog hurts, but I bet it feels something like me right now)....I was also bending down painting the wall and all of a sudden, I don't know what happened, I just fell into it....and screamed....the texture scraped my forearm and my knuckles.....Chris and my mom were home and came running thinking that my grandbaby had gotten hurt or had gotten into the paint.....no, I just fell for no reason at all. Got paint all in my hair and arm, then had to repaint it all over again.
I forgot to mention what I had been doing all day today.....I went to go get the ceiling paint out of my car this morning and when I opened the door, the gallon fell out all over the black asphalt driveway.....I spent all day trying to get it up....I washed my dustpan and brush that went with it and scooped up all of the paint and put it back into the can....and I still used it.....I washed and scrubbed the asphalt in 30 degree weather....and freezing. I then had to get our water hose with a sprayer and wash all of the driveway....the water came out of the sprayer two ways, one way on me getting me soaked and the other onto the driveway.....it took me awhile to warm up after that. Glad to know there is no more paint on the driveway though....I had a mess to clean up inside and out....I had tracked paint all through the house from the bottom of my shoes. I had to rest after all of that hard work. So that is what I have been doing all day. I pray this is finished by Christmas.

Missing in Action

2008-12-11T18:55:00.016-06:00

I am sure most of you may have wondered where I have been and what I have been up too....I have been missing in action. I have been very busy the last couple of months and temporarily had a moment of insanity. Actually, work has been busier than ever and I have been going to conference after conference and going from one presentation to the next which has been great, but has kept me from blogging for two months. I also had to get my house ready for company coming for Thanksgiving and the week of Thanksgiving, began to deep clean, get rid of junk, and then while my husband was at work got the insane idea of redoing my bathroom....what was I thinking, I ripped it out with a neighbor friend and he said he could help me with the wiring once I realized that I had ran into trouble....truly, I was thinking I could finish the bathroom in one day HA, that is what I get for watching too many Trading Spaces....I will back up, Chris and I went out of town for my birthday on Nov. 22....I had gotten so busy with work and was sending out 1000 newsletters, and then 500 Christmas cards, so I took my work with me....and I think this is where the insanity took place....the morning that we were leaving to come back home, I awoke at 5am with the hair brained idea that I would do the guest bathroom as a surprise....not only for my husband, but for my family. I have lived in my log house for over 25 years and had gotten to the point that I was so sick of looking at brown walls, and I wanted color in my house....after having 6 kids and lots of renters for a 5 year period, I was really embarrassed of the way the guest bathroom looked, and wanted to destroy it....So I did it, I ripped everything out with such passion....once I did it, thinking it would be a one day job, reality hit and I realized it would be longer and that my husband would kill me, I lost it....I cried and cried and cried....my friend Kim came over and had to console me and let me literally cry on her shoulder while she was in her nightgown (Thank you Kim for being such a great friend), she had just gotten back from China and hadn't been gone long and still came to my rescue....she helped me clean the mess that I had made all over the house and clean up while I bawled like a baby.

My husband came home and had the reaction that I knew he would, he was in shock and couldn't believe what I had just done....but what could I do, they had already cut the bathtub in half t get it out the door and all of the wood was torn into and thrown on a trailer out front....he couldn't believe it....he did get over the shock and our neighbor Ryan has been a God send stepping in and helping with all of the plumbing, wiring and everything....Chris didn't know how to do any of it, so Ryan stepped in and became our hero....my husband was in awe of his kindness, and generosity to take so much time out of his busy schedule to come and rescue us....he was here everyday for a week, putting things together....we realized the wiring and the plumbing had been put in all backwards and if you look in one of the pictures, you can see that the electrical box was right behind our shower, what a fire hazard that was for 25 years had we had a leak, we would have been toast.

Here are just some of the before pictures. This is where the ugly blue tub was at one time.

This is the ugly stuff that was under the tub....if you can see in the dirt, little black specks, there are hundreds of crickets....someone tell me how they go there.
This is where the ugly vanity had set....and you can see where we started breaking down the mirror that had been stuck up there with liquid glue for 25 years, it was barely coming down.
Here is the vanity right before it is pulled out, the blue sink had already been taken out.
Can you see the electrical box right beside the shower pipe? Doesn't that scare you to death, well it did me when I saw it too.
The blue tub that was cut in half in order to get out of the door.
One of the reasons that I wanted to redo our bathroom is that it had three doors going into it, one from the kitchen, one from the hallway and one from the office....we were losing space in all three rooms. I was so tired of having to close all three doors every time someone was over....and I know that company was tired of it too....so I closed up the holes where the two doors were and just left the one in the hallway, now I will admit, it is hard getting used to not being able to cut through to take my clothes to the laundry room and I have to now walk all the way around if I want to put something in the washer and the trash, but I love being able to have one door now to the bathroom....what started out as a one day job (how stupid was that) turned out to be a 4 week job....one of the contractor's that I hired to do the sheet rock finished up yesterday and after I post this, I am going to paint so that our friend Ryan can come back tomorrow to help with the tub surround and then we will be starting on laying the tile....I had been scraping up the flooring as well and I can't tell you how tired and sore my body has been....especially between my shoulder blades, but here is the bathroom finally taking shape. It has doubled in size because of the two doors missing and now a couch will fit in it, not that we will put one in it, but we could if we wanted too, and for the first time in 25 years, I will have color and sheet rock in my house....it will be the only room in our house that will look modern and have paint. I will post all my Christmas decorations later and you will see what I mean by no paint....for any of you that may live in a log house or are thinking about living in a log house, talk to a few women that have lived in a log home for 25 years first before you make that decision. Most of the women I know need color and I am one of them. This is the new tub with green board behind it now and the toilet will go on the other side of the wall.
This awful linoleum that had holes all in it is what I am scraping up....I should have strong back and shoulder muscles after this is over with.
This is the toilet area, the window is covered up from the spraying of the texture. To the right of the toilet, is where one of the doors used to be....in fact, you could pull the door to the toilet and hide yourself.
This is where the other door was beside the tub. Doing this not only created more space in our bathroom, it created more room in the laundry room as well as the office.
This is the hallway door....now the only door that we have....YEAH!!!!
This is just a corner of the wall....when my dad built our house, he covered up one two of the sockets that we had in the bathroom and I had forgotten about it until I broke down the mirror into a million pieces, it is a good thing that I am not superstitious, otherwise I would have never taken down the mirrow and found the new plugs....for 25 years, we had no plugs for blow dryers, we ran a small extension cord from the office to the bathroom....isn't that sad....we did this with 3 girls and 3 boys.....I can't believe that we lived through that. Ryan created 3 new plugs for me and one of them is on the opposite wall for a vanity for the girls when they visit. They will cry when they see it and know that they could have had that years ago.
Before I close this blog, I wanted to say a HUGE Thank you to my blogging buddy Carolyn, from Diva's Purple Diary....she sent this CD of Casting Crowns whom I absolutely love to me for Christmas, what a great gift and so special, because we have never met....we have just gotten to know each other via the blogging and I love her....she is so precious....in fact, Chris is trying to qualify for his third World Championship race for next year and it is in Charlotte NC and I am hoping that he makes it so that I can meet up with Carolyn in person. You can bet that I will be listening to this CD everyday....I love Christmas music and I love Casting Crowns, they are one of my absolute favorites (did I mention that already). Thank you Carolyn
As if that wasn't enough Carolyn also sent me this goodie package for my birthday. I tube of candied almonds and I had already eaten half of them before I actually took the picture....I love them and they are my husband's absolute favorite candy and it has been so hard to keep them from him....so that is why I went ahead and ate the whole tube before he could get to them.....I think I am a pig. She also sent me the Christmas ornaments and I have the perfect place for them, and I will show you where I put them when I post all my Christmas decorations throughout the house....I love Christmas and I love ornaments even more....I go crazy in getting new ones to my collection every year....I am slowly building up my collection and can outfit 3 trees now throughout my house. One upstairs, one downstairs and a small one in the kitchen, but these were too special and they didn't go on the tree....I put them somewhere else and I can't wait to be able to post all of those pictures as well. She also sent a nice leather key chain and Lord knows that I need it....I think Carolyn has been to my house before to see how many keys I have to carry around....I didn't have a key chain and I can never find them in my purse, now I can....Thank you Carolyn, it is like you really knew me or had actually been to my house to see what my favorite things were. I have missed all of you and I am hoping that I can get back into the blogging again very soon....this is a start....I will finish posting pictures of the bathroom when it is completed hopefully the first part of next week or later in the week, and then post the pictures of all the Christmas decorations as well. Love you all and thank you for being so patient with me.

My little pumpkin

2008-10-24T00:20:00.022-05:00

We recently went to a pumpkin patch to take our little grandbaby Alli, with about 4 outfits that she changed into....she was a little witch, a pumkin, and two other outfits. Alli had a time at the patch running around and us grandparents and parents barely able to keep up with her to get pictures. Here are just a few of the pictures that we took. I hope you enjoy them.

Pumpkin Carving Contest

2008-10-18T22:56:00.016-05:00

Recently, well tonight which by the time you read this will probably be tomorrow which will be on Sunday.....we had a party with our Sunday School class; a Pumpkin Carving Contest....about 5 minutes before we left for the party, it dawned on me, I wanted to win this contest, because if you know me well, I am very competitive...and I didn't have a clue about what I wanted to carve....I have had 4 pumpkins in the back of my car trunk for over a week waiting for the time that I could make my masterpiece....I couldn't wait and was so excited, but forgot to even think about what I wanted to carve. So I, like half of America, googled pumpkin carvings via the Internet so that I could download a template. I wanted it to be the best carving ever....something that would really stand out and be very impressive to those that were there.....I wanted it to be secretive and so Chris and I slipped into a corner of the backyard where no one else was carving....it seemed that everyone tried to be just as secretive as we did, wanting their carvings to be a surprise too.

***

Chris and I got to work on our masterpieces and then something happened that I didn't expect, it got dark and we couldn't see our lines anymore....what was I going to do.....then after about 15 minutes, someone finally turned on a light so that we could barely see the lines, at least it was better than not seeing the lines at all....what did they think, that I was going to just draw and cut it free handed by Braille, I don't think so. I am way too competitive for that.

***

This was mine and Chris's masterpieces down below, we are the two faces, can you guess who they are? you probably would be able to guess, except for the fact that we did part of it in the dark and my little pumpkin saw got more of the nose than I wanted to get....I was bummed, I didn't want to start over.....well, if you guessed Sarah Palin and John McCain, you guessed right, I should give you a prize for even trying to guess, but unfortunately, I can't....Chris and I didn't win....what, I don't understand, clearly this is an election year and I thought it would be awesome and that we were destined to win...I don't know what happened until I investigated a little further. the judge was a Democrat, and can you believe it, they were in my Sunday School class.....oh well, you win some, you lose some. I will NOT hold any harsh feelings because I can work with others who aren't in my party.

***

Some of the pictures of these pumpkins were taken with a flash on my camera and some were not, some you can see better with the glow and some you can see better with the flash....they separated the adult pumpkins from the kids pumpkins....there were some awesome pumpkin carvings and there were people there that had obviously thought about their carvings since last year....the good thing is that I have a whole year now to think about what I want to do for the next carving contest...and I will carve mine before I get there in the light and with good pumpkin saws. I had so much fun, that I may buy more pumpkins just to carve for FUN and then give them away for Thanksgiving to all my friends and may try and sell them on ebay or something. Who knows, at least right now, I can do that in America, achieve my dreams of being a professional pumpkin carver. If anyone wants me to carve a pumpkin or two for you, I am available to start practicing.

***

Sarah is on the left and John is on the right....Chris did Sarah's carving and I did John's carving with the huge nose.

This was a neat one, skull with crossbones done by an adult of course.
These were the kids carvings, they were cute.

Adults, and mine and Chris' pumpkins with the flash.
A side view in the dark of Sarah and John.
You can't see this as well in the light, but the back one is of three wolve growling at the moon....it was awesome and the winner.
I liked the polka dotted pumpkin too.Loved the polka dots without the flash....isn't it neat.
The winner of the night....isn't it pretty awesome....our friend that we call Mater did it. Three wolves howling at the moon, lots of detail and really meticulous.
Had to throw in another picure of Sarah and John, I thought they were awesome except for the nose on John.....that may have been the reason we lost.

Take the quiz!!!!

2008-10-09T22:26:00.001-05:00

This is what type of blogger I am according to the quiz that I took below...click on the link and find out what type you are.

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary.

If it happens, you blog it. And you make it as entertaining as possible.

You may be guilty of over-sharing a bit on your blog, but you can't help it.

Your life is truly an open book. Or in this case, an open blog!

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

CELEBRATION TIME....HUGE GIVEAWAY

2008-10-08T11:17:00.002-05:00

You can all thank Karen on this one....she reminded me that I can just change the date and instead of copying and pasting as I was not wanting to do in the below post and bring the former post to the top, so now you don't have to scroll down....but you can still read the post below this one....to give you a little more information about the items that are being given away.

***

First of all, I would really like to thank my new friend Jen for creating my new blog....she has been putting a lot time into it....she also did my ministry blog as well, so check it out too.

I have been waiting for this big special day in celebration of my newly designed blog, the big give-away is valued at $50 and you can visit the web-site for yourself and pick from the many items that Carla has at Just Stick Um Up ...I first found out about this site from my friend Jaci's blog...it is one of her older posts and is beautiful and it is something that she put on her bedroom wall....so I called the lady through her web-site and she told me that she came to Canton on Trade Days once a month....she was precious and made it on the spot....I got it that day.

If you aren't interested in the give-away, then check out Carla's web-site anyway and see for yourself all the wonderful things that she has....also check out Jaci's site to see what she purchased.

Now for the RULES:

Copy and Paste the "Crayon Profiler with free give-away" into your blog and advertise for me, I want more blogging buddies, and visits to my blog as well as my ministry blog ...we all need as much support as we can get. Make a comment to enter letting me know that you want to win...the drawing for the give-away will be on October 12th....I will announce the winner on the 13th.

Here are the pictures of the purchase I made for my friend Kim's little girls room....I knew that when I saw it, I just had to get it for Vivi Jo's room....I know that you will love it....enjoy the pictures....and the hopes of winning this wonderful prize....this is not at all close to what Carla's web-site has....she has everything....this was so easy to put up, it comes in a variety of sayings, fonts and colors you want....you can choose....I loved the one on Jaci's wall...click on her name to see it.

Last week for sign up giveaway

2008-10-08T10:27:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that you have until the 12th of October to sign up for my big Crayon Profiler Caper give away, you will probably have to scroll down really far to see what it is....I am too lazy to cut and paste today, but just go ahead and scroll down, go ahead, just do it, it's okay, just scroll on down and look at the big giveaway valued at $50....once I have drawn the name, I will video tape it and somehow figure out how to put the video on here and let you know who the big winner is....I will then give you instructions on how to go to the web-site and order it....I am working out the details with the owner....she is working on giving me a receipt number....so you can look on her site, figure out what it is that you want, either order it online and have it shipped directly to you, or just go to Canton like I did and pick it up....or just give her a call, she is a very sweet lady....you will love doing business with her....they have so much and not just the saying that I bought....you can have your own saying, scripture or whatever it is that suits your fancy....she also has plaques, and various different ways that you can use her product by adding it to the front of photo albums for extra glamour and drama effect, use it on glass wear, picture frames, you can use it in so many different ways....but you can't win if you don't sign up....so go on ahead and sign up....I would love to have a lot of names in the pot to draw from....and when I am video taping the drawing, for October effects I might even wear my new ebay win for you, the blonde ugly wig that I wasted money on....that should make you want to sign up right now....I didn't mention either, I had bought it for Vivo Jo's room, but it is not a site just for little girls, it is for boys, women, men, families, gifts, anniversary, weddings, and just about anything you want to use it for you can.....so go on SCROLL down and look for yourself....Use your imagination on what you can do with it....makes great gifts and makes people really happy.....Kim cried!!!! Now that is the kind of reaction that you want after it is put up....before I put it up though, she was bossing me around trying to tell me exactly how to put it up....but afterwards, I got what I wanted....her crying....now that is good stuff!!!!

Home again, home again, giggidy gig

2008-10-06T23:36:00.005-05:00

We finally made it home and I wanted to finish all my posting when I got home because it was so expensive to stay on the Internet....they charged 18 cents a minute.

As funny now when we were on our way to Italy, it was just as bad coming home....in fact, Chris and I as soon as we arrived couldn't stop thinking about the day that we would have to leave after the horrible experience getting there. So we decided to get an early start....we mapped out our course and walked it three times, timing it and making sure that we could get there in plenty of time to catch the train because our flight left at 6am in the morning....so the day after Rome, we had gotten in so late and we slept till late in the afternoon and then we were up for the count after 4pm, we did a little window shopping, went to eat gelatto as we did everyday and then more window shopping and off to eat supper and home to pack, we were both so homesick that we wanted an early start.

So the time came, we were all packed and believe me, I stuffed everything into two bags instead of having 4 of them, it was 1 o'clock in the morning when we set off, we didn't care how long we had to wait at the train station....as we were walking, a car stopped twice and just stared at us and Chris and I had prayed that God would protect us, we were in a high crime area....anyway, we didn't know what he wanted, he just stopped where we were and just stared but later moved on, Praise the Lord. Chris and I had to go down and up a tunnel that went under the train station, the one that we couldn't find the night we arrived....anyway, they had a middle section that was for rolling your luggage down it or bicycles, whatever, that is what I slipped on in my sandals and broke the other toe nail, I even took a picture of it along with the nail but you will be glad to know that I accidentally erased it.

Back to the story, we were almost up the end of the tunnel when we heard a gang coming through and they were loud, laughing at us and pointing, and we hauled butt up the stairs just in the nick of time before they came out practically in the midst of a crowd of people. We made it to the station and it was practically empty, very scary and creepy....we had several people come up to us and asking for money, saying things we clearly did not understand....we had to wait almost 2 hours before the next train....there were no trains coming in so the same people kept sticking around and it was really scary....Chris and I just kept praying that God would keep us safe....anyway, we set there and while we were there, lots of men and women were yelling and screaming at each other, I think when Italians fight, they get very loud....there were two couple that came up with about 10 garbage bags of clothes plus two huge suitcases....the lady saw us freezing and shaking and basically was asking us why we didn't have coats, we gathered this through the sign language, we couldn't communicate, we finally got that she was Romanian and her husband was so drunk, we weren't sure how he made it up the steps 50 times carrying up those bags of clothes, he looked like he was being abusive to his wife or we assumed that it was his wife, but that may be their custom, who knows.

Chris and I had two choices, to take the sleeper train that we knew we wouldn't have any room, or take the next one and push getting to the airport on time, we chose the first one....well, the train arrives and I am frantically stuffing my things in, Chris is next and goes to the left and I am thinking I will move my stuff as soon as he is in....all the Romanians (there were two couples) went ahead and didn't let me move but they frantically put all of their things straight in on mine, the door was blocked and I couldn't see or get to Chris, I was stuck in a corner with my luggage and had no room at all to move around and it would be a little over an hour ride and still cold because I am in the middle of the port where you get on before you walk into the sleeper doors....they didn't move anything and they set their things on top of mine as well as my feet....I tried to move it but they wouldn't let me, so I set on my suitcase and took out a book and tried to read, as they fought, yelled or maybe they were love talking, who knows....one of the men were trying to tell me that he was Romanian, I had gotten that part, but he was trying to tell me something about 3 and I couldn't understand what he was trying to tell me and he was drunk and getting very upset at me....started praying again for God to protect me, somehow the two men made it past the door that barely opened and I prayed that God would protect Chris, I had no idea what was going on his side.

Finally a little peace and I could read my book without distractions and not having to read the same sentence over 20 times before it sank in....until the Romanian woman fell asleep and started snoring so loudly, I was surprised that it didn't stop the train.

We finally made it to the train station and got off, the next thing we did was get everything off by the grace of God and started trying to find a cab....many went by and wouldn't help us because we had too much stuff....after waiting and waiting and waiting, a precious cab driver drove up and we asked him if he could get it all in, he shrugged his shoulders and basically said he would try without saying a word, his English wasn't go good, and he stuffed it all in and we made it on time to the airport....we got through customs and baggage x-raying things without having to take our shoes off, and we were off to find our terminal....we waited and waited and waited again and then they announced that everyone had to remove the waiting area and that we would have to all stand in line again and show our passports again for some reason, we got up to the front and they handed us forms that we had to fill out saying that if our flight went down, we had to list contact people and put it all in a drop box, not a very comforting thing to fill out before we leave and to me, there were all kinds of suspicious people around....we finally get on the plane and we have great seats, no one is in front of us and we had plenty of leg room and can sleep soundly, problem is, we are so tired that we can't sleep....so I finally get to sleep and all of a sudden, we hear this man across from us that snored so loud that no one could sleep, at least he could.

We made it home and literally wanted to kiss the U.S.A. ground, made it home late last night and rested all day today....I won a pair of shoes on ebay and that is about all that I did....it was fun or rather okay and if I had another chance to go back to Italy, not so sure that I would go, for at least now, I wouldn't anyway.....maybe in a few years if I could take all of my kids and several friends with me....it is just not the same without family and friends and going to a foreign country, you really appreciate your friends and family and especially your country. So hopefully, I can catch up on all your blogs and comment as well....by the way, just made three blogs today about Florence and Rome....we took so many pictures it was hard to pick what to upload....I think all together we took over 1000+ (correction) pictures.

By the way, the next World Championship Duathlon's are in Charlotte North Carolina in the United States.....so it should be easier if Chris qualifies and I can meet a few blogging buddies while I am there. Glad to be home safe and sound and sleeping in my own bed again.

Rome and Vatican Tour

2008-10-06T21:41:00.037-05:00

Okay, I love Tiramusu and everywhere I go, I have to try their version, and believe me, everyone has a different version....I had it all over Italy and it was all different....I have to say, this one looked the best out of all that I have eaten, but it was not that great....in fact, the BEST Tiramusu that I have ever eaten has been at the Olive Garden, no lie!!! That is the first picture I had to start out with.

Our last trip in Italy was to Rome and we had tickets for a tour of Rome....I had very mixed emotions and I can't tell you why, except that it was spiritually dead....full of gangs, graffiti, con-artists, pick pocketers and people would freely come and ask for money, it was so scary and way too busy for me....in fact, the day after we left, there was a marching protest due to racism, with 6 South Africans killed....it was so crazy busy and I was ready to leave at the end of the day....one day is not enough time to visit everything, but it was enough for me and Chris. Rome was an interesting place full of History....I added a link just so if you were interested, you could read about it rather than me telling you about it or just google it and there are a couple of sites where you can go on virtual tours. We toured the Vatican while we were there and I was amazed and a little mixed up about it....they said that there was so much to see inside that if you looked at everything for 60 seconds, it would take you 12 years of your life to see it all.....we were just on a three hour tour. They had so many things, things stolen from Egypt and so much more....I couldn't understand why.

They have an average of 33,000 people coming through the Vatican everyday to visit except on Holidays and special occasions and at $75 a person, that is a lot of money, they can afford to buy all of the things that were inside.

This is a bath that many women at once would use to take a bath in donkey's milk....I bet they had to milk a lot of donkey's....but I was wondering why it was in the Vatican, I thought it was all monks and men, no women....confusing to me.
St. Peter, the sculpture hat was created by Michelangelo...he was a genuis....we also toured the Sistine Chapel that he painted but weren't allowed to take photos....it is very small compared to what I was thinking in my head and is not where they worshiped at all....don't know what I was thinking.

Can't remember what this was in the Vatican courtyard....and my camera went to shooting everything, no matter what I thought it was....it could have some dead Pope in it or something, in fact, they had 3 Pope's inside the Vatican in glass caskets, weird.
The Pope's courtyard, but he has a more private one....there are 900 people that live there and I am sure they are the ones to use this instead of him.....he has his own.

Part of the Basillica, can't remember what side.

Part of the Coliseum

Florence and Fiesole Trip

2008-10-06T20:21:00.021-05:00

Chris and I went to Florence and I have to say that it was gorgeous and probably my favorite place out of all of Italy that we traveled too....it had so much history dating to B.C., Florence's origins date back to the Etruscan era when Fiesole dominated the valley. Before conquering Fiesole in the first century B.C., the Romans set up camp by the River Arno in place that then became Florentia "destined to flower". Florence survived the dark centuries of the Middle Ages, and then became an important city, until it became a Municpal Borough in 1115.

In 1865, Florence was chosen to be the capital of the kingdom of Italy, and remained capital until 1871. In later years and until the beginning of the twentieth century. Florence was famous for its literary happenings, that produced works such as Pinocchio and which brought writers such as Paoine, Palazzeschi, Pratolini to the fore, who were all members of the historical literary"Caffee" group the "Glubbe Rosse".

Art and Culture were in great ferment and the people's desire to educate themselves gavev rise to the first work in the vernacular language, in the poetic style of "Dolce still nevo", which then brought the Humanist Age to Florence, together with the wonderful architecture by Bruneilleschi. After Lorenzo il Magnifico's death (1492), and in later centuries, the city oscillated between Republican agitation and Medici revenge, while genuises such as Michelangelo and leonardo Da Vinci became famous names in art and literature.

Olive trees in Fiesole that were all over the place, they were gorgeous....by the way, they serve Olive Oil in and with everything.

This is the oldest bridge in Florence, where blacksmith's, cobbler's as well as other workers lived and worked to this day...we actually didn't get to go through it, but it was absolutely gorgeous to look at.

Lots of bikes all through Italy, could be the reason they are so fit and can eat all that they do.

Coming Home

2008-10-04T14:27:00.002-05:00

Yes, we are finally coming home and I cannot wait....I have got the worst homesickness I have ever had in my life....we spent all day in Rome yesterday and I am waiting to get home before I post anymore pictures, it is too costly to do it here....we took around 500 and I accidentally erased the ones that Chris took with his camera....I was sick about it, but I had taken alot of the same things and there were just a few more that he took that I didn't....but you can have Rome, Venice, Rimini, Florence.....I want the good ole USA....I cannot wait to get home....Chris and I have both realized how blessed we are to live in our country.....if we didn't get anything else out of this trip, it is that for sure and we are so ready to leave.....we already have our bags packed and we are waiting to get on the train to take us to the airport in Bologna....we are willing to stay at the airport for 6 hours just to feel closer to home....we are leaving at 2:30 am just to get the last train out of here.....we are walking almost a quarter mile to the train station and getting on the train....please pray that our train is on Bin 1, that way, we don't have to go far with our luggage and we will be okay....then catch a huge cab to the airport and we pray that the electricity is on this time.....we have realized that God has protected us so much.....we were in Rome yesterday when at the train station, a man set beside me wanting my purse, I realized it and then so did Chris....I got up and he came over wanting money, he had a huge bottle of beer and Chris told him that we couldn't help him, he first had to help himself.....we noticed that he was out there working with another man doing the same thing, they stayed together, one better dressed than the other and God put a hedge of protection around us and kept us safe....I had been watching the two of them way before that.....I have prayed that God would keep us alert even as tired as we are and He has.....and boy have we seen it.....I cannot wait to get back and tell you all about it.....there were so many instances where He kept us safe.....I Praise His Name and I Love Him even more and our country too.....this will be the last time that you will hear from me until late Sunday evening or Monday, as we will be in transit.....I love and miss you all.

where am I?

2008-10-02T17:35:00.003-05:00

I didn't have time to post anything today....because we actually walked through Rimini which we haven't had time to do since we got here....we rode bikes through town, came back to room and rested, then off to supper, then to bed....we were so exhausted.

I thought I had been asleep for hours when all of a sudden, a loud noise is coming down the hall....a couple slamming their door woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep and all I could think about was Carolyn's picture that she wanted you to make a comment on when it finally hit me at 12:30am....now as most of you can relate....it probably seems funnier to me now at this time of the night than it will in the morning....so I am going on Purple Diva's Diary's blog to make mycomment for the picture since it is not Friday yet for you guys.

I will comment and talk about Florence on Saturday....we are getting up in few more hours to catch the 6:08am train to Rome and will not be back till early Saturday morning around 2:30am....so I wanted to let you know that I am okay and that I have so much more to say.

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I took around 500 or so pictures and a lot of the city dates back B.C....it will be hard to choose pictures to post.

While we were walking today, I again wore my comfortable sandals and you guessed I stumped my other toe and fell down agin...I have documentation and the broken off nail to prove it as well as some impressive bruises on my knees....as we were walking into the same gellato place that we go everyday since we have been here....I tripped over the threshold but didn't fall down....as a guy was walking out....jokingly he said, "those stupid Americans".....he had overheard us say that about ourselves earlier when we were all on the bicycles racing....he recognized us and thought we were funny!!!

That was part of day today and I cannot wait to post about Florence and Rome....I am so excited about our trup to Rome, but more excited to Rome back Home....I miss my kids, my friends and my own bed....arrividerci for now.

a day in venice!!!

2008-09-30T08:58:00.023-05:00

Yesterday, we made it to Venice....it is indescribably gorgeous....how I wish that I could show you all 400 pictures that I took....it was so hard to choose just a few....we walked throughout the city, took a leisurely lunch and went on a Gondola ride where we got a lot of information from the gondaleer....for instance, 65,000 people live on the tiny island of Venice and the cost to live there is approximately $35,000 per square meter, so it is very expensive to live there....it is very old, and you can see in a couple of the pictures that I uploaded that they have had to reinforce some of the walls from tumbling down....the water rises during high tide and it looks as though some get water in their homes from the stains on the walls....the side streets are very tiny and some of them barely allow two people to go down it at once....I wish that you all could have been with us....I hope you enjoy just the very few pictures that I put up....we slept in all day today, Chris and I both have colds, probably from being in the wind and rain during his race.....it is now almost 8pm and we are getting ready to go eat dinner, and then we will go to Florence tomorrow....I will post the pictures of Florence when we get back....Love you all.

I thought that I would start with a picture that has all the colors of Fall

Pea, I know what you can do with all of your cats, send them to Venice.
Our little guy that took us on our Gondola ride...he said that he had been doing this his whole life....and he doesn't live on the island.
You can see that the water rises above the stairs.

Everywhere you looked, people had their laundry hanging out...this was probably one of my favorite things about Venice....life seems simple.

Race Day Finally

2008-09-28T15:23:00.014-05:00

Race day was finally here for the women on Saturday and then the men would run on Sunday....This is the starting line up for the women, we were there to watch all of our USA Team members and especially Barb Morgan....our friend from Pennslyvania.

On the way there, Chris and I were running to catch it and flip flops are not good to run on where there is nothing but cobblestone....I tripped and fell and busted my toe, peeling off some of the nail...I can tell you that it hurt really bad....just for documentation....it was right in front of the traffic and a car almost ran over me....so embarrasing....the crowd of people that witnessed me go down.
Barb coming past...we had a great view.
Next day, the men start off and it is raining so my pictures are not that clear when I didn't use the unmrella and I was freezing and shaking so hard.
This is Chris and the guy on the left is the Team USA coach Tim, encouraging to Chris to keep going and pick up speed, he was doing great on the run.
Chris got into a pack of men and was coming around the corner smiling and sticking out his tongue at me....I think if he can do that, he is not running hard enough.

Chris in transition getting onto his bike.
Getting ready to get on...unfortunately, he never finished, he flatted out around
miles out on his bike, later finding out he had ran over glass, flattening his tire. This is Kyle, the Morgan's grandson who is 19, his first World Championship and he is doing really well.

We are finally finished with all of the Team USA stuff and are now officially on vacation...early tomorrow morning, we are leaving to tour Venice, so I have to get in bed, it is past 9pm here and Chris is getting irritated at me...so arrivederci for now....I will really have some good pictures after today....love you all.

Hotel Villa Lalla...what a great place

2008-09-27T08:10:00.012-05:00

This is the hotel that we are staying at while here in Italy....Hotel Villa Lalla and I have to say, the people here are very gracious, and really know how to make Americans feel welcomed.

This is our room that we are staying in, very modern and comfy.
The bathroom shelving....Chris said I took up all the room....but as you can see, he still had plenty of space to put his shaving cream....I don't understand what is he gripping about.
Hotel Villa Lalla gave us a few gifts, we received two of these nice bags, one of them not shown is orange.
Two pair of slippers that we get to keep without charge as well....I will get a lot of use out of these as we have cold marble flooring in our room.
They also provided a foot washer right beside the toilet for our convenience....as you can see, it really works and the water on your feet feel really good, although I am wondering why it is beside the toilet....hummm....we really have to shake of the water too, because when you hang it back up....it drips onto the toilet paper.
They also provided a little sink to wash your underwear and clothes....although you break your back hanging over it, because it is so low to the ground....but is very convenient.
When you get through washing your things, they have a drying rack that not only warms your clothes, but dryes them really nice....it is really cold here so when you go to put them back, it feels as though you just got them out of the dryer.Okay, I know, I know what you are thinking...I know that the sprayer is for washing your behind and the bedette is for the same thing, but our behinds are clean and we didn't need to use them, but we found a better use for them.....okay truth, my legs hurt so badly walking up and down those stairs with all of our luggage that it was too hard to even try out the bedette....and we brought Tide that you can use in the sink to wash our clothes....I promise the bedette was very clean and sanitized before I even attempted to use it....in fact, it looked as if it had never been used....maybe for cleaning someone else's underwear.

I also posted about our event that took place last night....which would almost be morning to you....so check it out as well below....I hope you enjoy the pictures....off to take some more pictures of the women racing today.

Italy Day Two

2008-09-27T04:30:00.046-05:00

Okay, I have to admit....it is getting better....after a harsh first day here, we had a good nights rest and woke up refreshed. Since my body alarm is out of whack, I woke up at 5:00 wide awake and couldn't go back to sleep. So I got up and got ready and leaving Chris still asleep, went downstairs with my coffee creamer and it is a good thing I brought it and had my first Italian breakfast...I had to add 5 pounds of coffee creamer to their version of "american coffee", it was like dark strong espresso...I took with me the camera instructions so that I could learn how to take really good pictures while I am here because this is the place that you want to take excellant pictures, so this was a practice shot.

I was the first person down while reading my instructions, more Team USA members trailed in one by one....I couldn't read instructions anymore....so I sit and chatted. Soon, Chris, Dick and Barb Morgan came down with their grandson from Pennsylvania, the couple that we like to travel with....today was registration and packet pick up for Team USA, then all their team meetings (I skipped out on those), the Parade of Nations and then the Team USA dinner at a local resturant....I took lots of pictures, but I should have finished reading the instructions because not all of them were good enough to post and even some of these weren't that great and clear.

Registration and packet pick-ups, they each got a brand new black bag with rollers, which you cannot see in this photo along with a whole bag of nice things.
While they were shopping, I stepped on over and got Team Canada's picture as well while they were posing....I thought they looked good.
There were tons of booths set up for all those that wanted to shop and get some last minute things, well not last minute, they are here all week.
Chris is trying to coach Kyle on what type of shoes to buy.
After registering for the race, we went to a little resturant and ate our first Italian meal with Dick and Barb and their grandson Kyle who is racing as well....he one of the top 12 in the nation at his age racing....I think he will do pretty well.
This was my first Italian meal, it doesn't quite look like the picture but was okay.....I won't try it again, I will just say that, but I was starving so I ate it all.
Team USA decided to have their Team pictures at the beach on the windiest day, I couldn't believe it.....I thought we were going to have it where Team Canada had theirs....we were eating sand....it was in our hair, our mouths, our socks even....I was glad to get this part over, but took a few pictures of the beach while I was there.
This is Team USA, I couldn't find Chris in this anywhere....I thought I had found him in a white cap and focused in on that person and then afterwards, realized he was wearing a red cap.....I do have one of him somewhere but when I was posting, the picture was so tiny, I couldn't tell which picture it was.
This is the parade of Nations and I am only posting a few....as you can tell, they are not that clear, so I am posting the best ones....I can't even tell what country this is.....I think it is Brazil, not sure...in all there were probably 30 + countries there represented....it was awesome, just not my pictures.
This is Team Canada, I can tell for sure.
Great Britian
Hungary, where we raced last year.
Ireland, you couldn't see, but they had some girls that were dancing....as each country passed, they played a song from that country.
Japan, they were a proud and happy bunch. Morocco
The Netherlands
You can barely read this one, but it New Zealand.
Slovakia, just say it with me, don't you love to say it, the way it just rolls off your tongue....I yelled it over and over when they were marching by and clapping for them just so I could say it...I also love saying Croatia, but their picture was real blurry.
At first, I thought this was the red cross, then I was asking myself, why is it a white cross though, then I realized it was Switzerland....what a strange flag.....it looks like they want to help someone.

Then the good ole USA....I was wondering what song they would play for USA and I was shocked to find out it was "Surfing USA"....out of all the songs they played for us, they chose that one....SHOCKER!!!! I was thinking maybe "God Bless the USA" or at least "Born in the USA", but not "Surfing USA", that was crazy to me....I think our great Team USA leader picked it out....Oh well!!!! it was still fun.
At the end of the parade, they got to shake military leaders hands and officials from Italy, a nice way to welcome each country there I thought....or maybe they were sizing everyone up. A mixer after the parade with all the countries....this is Kyle and the little boy who carried the USA sign....he lives in Italy, but his parents are from the USA....his grandfather had a book that he was getting all the team members to sign as a souvineir for his grandson.
We met up with Rad again (in the yellow shirt) from Australia....we made friends with him last year in Hungary....he was born and raised in Germany and defected to Australia, but was in a prison camp and he told stories after stories on our way to Vienna Austria last year....the best part of our trip....we were hoping that we would get to see him again....he is 81 and still in great shape....he is a blessing to everyone that knows him....we just love him.
Dick, Rad and Chris
I asked her if I could take her picture, she was on the Japan team and we were telling her that she was so beautiful and she was blushing so bad....she could hardly speak...trying not to cry....she was very sweet.
We had to wait turns to get pictures in front of this huge sign, and people kept running up there, one little Japanese man was getting ready when an Italian ran up there and the Italian said come on, then a USA member ran up there, then.....
Kyle ran up there from the USA, then....
Great Britian and another country ran up there, then......
Hungary and Ireland got in there and the group just kep growing with different countries getting into the picture....one of my favorite moments of the event.....how great if we could all get along like that with no government involved, I think we would all do great because we all bonded....there was no hate....except on race day when you hope someone will fall down so that you can beat them, but other than that....it is all great.

This girl on the right is Shelia, she lives in the USA, but she is Irish....we love her....but she is racing with Team Ireland....somehow she qualified and we are all just standing around chatting and I had to take a picture of her....sweetest lady and I love listening to her talk....I wish that her accent would rub off on me.....I am sure that it won't.
After all the parade, we went back to the host Hotel and they had a Who's Who Wall and Chris is on it, but everytime I zoomed in on him, it was blurry....still need to read that handbook instructions for my camera.
This is areas of the host hotel, very beautiful.

After going back.....we finally went with Team USA to eat at La Logge and had Italian food of course....it was a beautiful resturant....the head at the bottom is a guy that we were sitting with who was hit by a truck just two weeks ago while racing....a car ran into the racing area and hit him....he broke his arm....but still came to cheer on his fellow teammates, but his father is full blood Italian.

Even their toilet seat was neat....I had to take a picture of it....I carry my camera everywhere I go, you never know when you find something worth taking a picture of and I thought this was worth it.

Bon Gourno Delle Donne

2008-09-26T07:06:00.004-05:00

I have to write fast because I am getting charged per minute that I am on here, it is so much per hour....boy, these Italians...but just wanted everyone to know that we made it here finally....we lost 7 hours, so we are 7 hours ahead of you now....but we gain it back coming home.

Our flight was great, both of them....we flew to Frankfurt Germany and then into Bologna Italy....from there our trip was not good, but at least we have a week to make up for the first day here....we flew into Bologna and Chris's bike did not arrive for the race, it should be here by tonight....while we are at the airport, the lights went out and they lost power....well we hadn't exchanged our money yet, so we had no euro's, well guess what, the computers were down and we couldn't get exchange money to pay for the bus to the train station....finally after much fretting and fighting and wanting a divorce (just teasing on that part), we were desperate and Chris found someone that was willing to exchange american dollars for euro's....Praise God, so we got on the bus after a great search....then off to the train station.....walked in and it was like the busiest day plus more on a Canton weekend with dozens of those motorized vehicles almost knocking you over and with a couple hundred different languages going on at the same time....if this gives you any indication of how crazy it was....the lines to buy tickets for the train was a mile long, and we had tons of luggage ( I should have learned that you do not carry more than one bag, but as I was telling you earlier, I was fretting over what to bring....so what does a woman do, brings everything, including my huge iron.

After buying our train tickets to Rimini, we had only 1 minute to find the train that the track was on and there was an "ask me" desk in the middle of the station so we were asking what track do we get on, he didn't understand Chris and so he wrote it down on a scrap piece of paper and it was like a blind person trying to read a book without Braille (I have a whole other story on Braille) anyway, we finally found the track, and the train had already left....we found another one and it left....so went down and up the stairs twice and I am having a heart attack by now and feel like I have smoked all my life and I have emphesema....I cannot talk and by this time, Chris was very happy that I couldn't talk, because he knew that I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, because if he had listened to me the first time, none of it would have ever happened....but you know men sometimes, they want to be the hero, but what happened in our case is that he had a demon possessed woman wanting to tear his head off.

We missed two trains to Rimini, we finally found another train on Bin (Italian for Track) 10...it was down the stairs, under the train station and then back up two flights of stairs again....at this point, I am thanking God his bike didn't make it with us....I was dying....we got up the steps only to realize that we had to wait about 50 minutes.....it took me that long to catch my breath to start talking again.....while we were there waiting on the tracks with several hundred people, we inhaled so much second hand smoke that I felt as if I was getting emphesema again....what is wrong with these people, couldn't they tell by me laying on the ground that the cigerette in their hand beside my face was making me ill, NO.....while we were waiting, all of a sudden this huge group of people who were waiting to go to a different destination, all began running down the stairs....I didn't think it was a good sign, but we stayed and learned finally that their track had moved....I am thinking to myself, you know we should probably be going too, because I would bet a hundred dollars that is what is going to happen to us, so while we have at least another 30 minutes that would give me time to get up the other staircase, going down was no problem, although I may not have wheels on my luggage after this trip. But my hero of a husband assured me that no, this was the Bin that it said it would be on, so no, they wouldn't lie....we now had 5 minutes and again, all of sudden, this huge group of people went running down the stairs....just what I had thought, our train had moved to another BIN....dang, it can't get any better than this....we made it finally to the train and as the door was shutting, someone saw us in distress and opened the door for us....there were no seats left so we had to sit on our luggage for over an hour going through each little town stopping and letting more people in....I also was sitting on my luggage perfectly okay with just being on the train, but I was also in front of the bathroom door for the train, I kept having to move.

We get off the train finally at Rimini and Chris googled a map of where we were supposed to go, it was within walking distance he said, google maps are always right....well that may work for America, but when you are in Europe, just disregard it....it was dark by this time, almost 30 hours later and with no sleep since we had left our house and we couldn't see to read the map (by the way, I have to say that I am better at reading maps than Chris, but I was trying to let him be the hero again)....I said one way and he said another....so I followed him....we got a couple of blocks down with all of our luggage and realized after seeing one street sign, that we were going the wrong way.....we got back to the train station and set there for a second, still not having any Euro's for even a cab, but Chris decided to ask a cab driver if he would take American money for a ride to our hotel....Chris didn't even know the name of our hotel, but he knew the address, it is hotel Villa Lalla....he was such a nice guy and he took our money, by that time, we would have paid him $200, but it only cost us $15.....when we finally made it to our hotel, we realized that it wasn't in walking distance at all and we would have never made it by the google map....we would have been better with a GPS in our suitcase....anyway, we finally got here last night and stunk to high heaven I am sure, but they sent us right away to the supper and we barely made that, sitting with people we didn't know, but got to know them from Team USA....it was great...got to our rooms, took showers and Chris flooded the bathroom floor because he didn't know how to work the shower door, he made it into a U shape when it was supposed to be a square....but at this point I didn't care, he became my hero after that, I realized he had the nerve to look like a begger two times for me and we made it here....and thanks to him, this week will be fabulous.....freezing, but fabulous.

I have taken a few pictures but nothing to brag about yet....I will be posting pictures soon though...I promise....I love and miss you all....arrividerci delle donne.

First ebay Win!!!

2008-09-23T10:18:00.000-05:00

I was playing around with ebay trying to win a pair of Steve Madden Slouch Boots and was looking around at their Halloween costumes for my little grand baby, just looking to get ideas, not intending to get anything...until I came across this one thing that struck my attention...a friend of mine said not long ago that sometimes, I just act blonde...so I was thinking about pulling a prank on her...I saw this and I thought, hey I am going to bid on this...I did and then I was thinking how stupid and what a waste of money...I can't win this, I don't even want it and I couldn't take my bid back because I had already taken it back twice in the same day because I got scared that I was going to pay too much, and then ebay would block me from bidding again...so I was trapped...I was just praying that someone would outbid me...days went by and I got a notice...Congratulations, you won the bid!!! Darn, now I have to pay a whole $15.84 including shipping and handling for something that was a complete waste of my money...the seller was good and sent it right away thinking that I would be so proud of my bid...I gave her a great rating none the less....here are the pictures to show you what I won...I hope you enjoy it!!!! The blonde wig goes down past my knees and is tangly...great buy, don't you think...next time, I will think twice before bidding on something.

I did however finally win a pair of Steve Madden Slouch Boots and cannot wait to get them in, but I don't think it will be before we leave for Italy in the morning...that is right...I will be gone for 12 days, I am taking my laptop in case I have Internet connections so that I can stay in touch with everyone...I will blog about what we do everyday so that you can see, hopefully...in the meantime, please keep signing up for my big giveaway...I am so excited to be giving it away...I hope you stop by and comment me...so you can be signed up...I will post a video on how we do the drawing and you can actually see who wins. In the meantime, Arrivederci, delle donne.

2008-09-23T10:09:00.002-05:00

My friend Jaci gave me this and I am passing it on for you to do.

Here are the rules...
Mention the blog that gave it to you and comment on their blog to let them know you've posted your award .
Publish these rules
Share 6 values that are important to you and 6 things you do not support
Grant the prize to 6 people
Things that I Value:
1. The Lord
2. My Family
3. My Friends
4. My Freedon
5. Honesty

6. People

Things that I do NOT support:
1. Lying
2. Drugs
3. Same sex marriages
4. Those who don't want to work
5. Obama
6. Abortion

Another Hairy Day

2008-09-11T21:41:00.008-05:00

I have to admit....I am so very proud of my mother pictured here with me on my left....that would be on your right, don't get us mixed up, she looks like she could be my sister.....She has worn her hair like this for years and years and we have always begged her to cut it and get it styled....instead, it was always perms and frost jobs....she has such thick hair and I cannot remember her wearing any other hairstyle other than this one....she saw my new hair cut and loved it so much and went for it....I was thinking to myself, yeah right, she will never go through with it....well, she made the appointment and not knowing what style I picked out with my hair dresser in Sulphur Springs, she picked out the same picture and went for it....she is always known for her big hair....in fact, this was the second picture that was taken of us because the first picture didn't get all of her hair in the picture.

I cannot believe how much younger, and more beautiful she looks after the cut....I took pictures from all sides....I was so proud of her and she absolutely loves it....I think she will keep it like this forever....I know that you can tell what a difference there is and how different she looks....AMAZING isn't it!!!

"The Birthday"

2008-09-09T22:10:00.016-05:00

It seems as though I haven't been able to post or read any blogs for months, but it has only been a few days....I have been so busy with trying to get things done before we leave in two weeks to Rimini, Italy....having my husband, Chris' birthday party, preparing and finishing all the work that I have to finish before we leave....it has been crazy...I'll tell ya.

Chris's birthday was on Sunday and I just couldn't wait until I could finally give him his presents so that I could use them....the first present being Rosetta Stone....it doesn't have the language on it, but I thought that it would be appropriate to learn Italian before we leave for Italy....we will be traveling to Italy for his World Championship race, we will also travel to Bologna (I think that is where Bologna was invented off the floors of the meat markets :) just teasing...Venice, Florence and Rome....I am so excited and I have been learning Italian today and in about an hour, I learned sentences and lots of words as well as the spelling, Rosetta Stone makes it really easy to learn...my next purchase will be Spanish since we need it so badly here in Texas....one of my favorite gifts that I have given him for myself....what wife doesn't get their husband something they can use as well....my husband got me a Wii gaming system for Christmas....and who uses it? ...I bet you can guess, the boys....well turn about is fair play....we can both enjoy his gifts....that is just being SMART in my opinion.

The second gift that I was hinting at in one of my last blogs is from EZ Hang Chairs , and it is easy to assemble if you read the directions which my husband did not do....he didn't even look at the picture....I don't like to read directions, but I do look at the pictures and I kept telling him he was doing it wrong, but I finally shut up because what husband likes to listen to his wife know how to assemble the correct way....so I just let him have it his way, kind of like Burger King, he had it his way and it messed up....I have left out so many pictures of how many times he had to redo it, until he finally gave up and listened to me and did it My Way (I am more like Frank Sinatra) and he like Burger King....anyway, this is the beginning of the journey of him hanging it up...but once you see what it looks like, you may want to check it out....Mr. Wright, the man who sold it to me, said that you could say that you are a friend of mine and they will let you have it at the price that I got it at Canton....I am not sure how much that will save you since I haven't been to the site yet, but he threw in the chains to hang it with, the spring and the swivel....I could have been suckered, I don't know, but I DO LOVE the chair and it is so comfortable and you can sleep so easily in it....I hope that you enjoy the pictures.

The Beginning...

Testing it with Zachary....

One of the 20 times redoing it.... :) I told him...

Finally getting it right and taking it for a test ride....Zachary first though.

Leslie testing it out again before Chris sets in it...

Finally, Chris is LOVING it and gets a little snooze....

Just a Swanging....how we say it in Texas....

Tanner, Ashley and little Alli came to say Happy Birthday to Pop....

Leslie and Lucy Grace (her dog) came down from Dallas for her dad's birthday...the others were in school or in Iraq and couldn't make it....we really missed you all....it was good to have Leslie to come and stay and get up and go to church with us that morning.

Pop and Alli having some fun, laughing and playing with each other....and giving some really good smiles for the camera.

This was my favorite picture of both Pop and Alli....you can tell that they are crazy about one another....when he is around, I can forget about her coming to me....she loves her Pop.

We had a great day and now we are back to work again....and hopefully getting back into the swing of things....I still have so much work to get done before we leave....My new page is getting worked on and you will all be surprised by the new look....and I cannot wait to post what I am giving away....so start getting your friends to start posting and visiting so that they can come back and have a chance to sign up for the give away valued at $50 and will be shipped to you quickly, you will be able to pick from a number of things from this site....it is one of the things I went to Canton for....you will love it when it is posted, but I am waiting for the blog page change first.....so please start getting your friends to stop in and comment....CANNOT wait to give it away.

My Day with Max and Kim

2008-09-04T01:31:00.018-05:00

I spent the day with Kim and Max going with her to Scottish Rite Hospital for Max's check-up...I needed to go for something myself and went along for the ride...and boy did I have a ride as you will see. Max's appointment was a little long as we waited on his turn to go in to see the doctor, we had a little fun...I am not sure who had more fun, me, Kim or Max. We went out onto the Scottish Rite's playground and what a nice playground it is....I loved this little duck crossing as we entered onto the grounds.

Kim trying not to fall off of the ride like I already had...I am sure she will post it on her blog.

Just one of the mirrors that was on the playground that we got a kick out of seeing our legs for the first time, long and thin.

One of the monuments that they have at the hospital...little children saluting the flag...with Max looking on at the flag high above him.

Another monument with Max trying to catch the butterflies that they have in their hands.

Max is saluting the flag and singing a Christmas Carol I think...not really...he is just trying to see the flag that is way above his head.

This is the short legged mirror that I hated...but Kim of course made me laugh so hard that I fell down looking at her feet.

Kim and I were both taking pictures of Max in the train...Kim was telling him to look at her....but clearly, he was looking at me, hehehehe!!!!

How come I look fatter and shorter in this mirror?

Kim clearly trying to hang on for dear life....this little ride will throw you off in a heartbeat...but it was fun getting thrown off.

Kim and I were on the see saw taking pictures of each other...she didn't warn me when she was getting off...I guess you know what happened.

In the waiting room to see the doctor....there was plenty of things for the little ones to do....way too much stimulation before they go in to see the doctor.

Does this picture look familiar? I think she is just posing for the camera for sure.

And ME at the end of the day....it was almost 11pm before I made it home....I was quite tired and didn't know that I looked like a raccoon until my son said something about it.

I don't think there is any good angle....Kim had tried to get me to go into the store looking like this....is she CRAZY....I don't think so Suzy Q.

My Purchases from Canton

2008-08-31T20:58:00.009-05:00

I went to Canton with Paul, Kim and Max to make a really great find...I actually went there to see a particular woman who I had been trying to purchase something online through Jaci's blog in one of her older posts...I loved what she put on her bedroom wall that said, "Always Kiss Me Goodnight"...I went to the web-site that Jaci provided and loved what I saw for my friend Kim's little girl's room...there was a saying out of Jeremiah that said, " Before you were born, I knew you"...I knew that I had to get it for her.

I called and tried to purchase it through the web-site and my pay pal account wouldn't go through for some reason so I called her...she was such a sweet lady and she told me that she would be in Canton for the weekend...I chose to visit her there and actually meet her in person...and she made it for me on the spot...it took about an hour to make it so we decided to go eat and shop some more and then come back to get it...I can't wait for you all to see it...you will love it.

I will have a picture of that particular purchase once it is up and my new blog has been created...I am going to celebrate by having a huge giveaway from this company that does this...I am so excited about it...I am making some changes on my blog and I cannot wait.

It had been years since I had been to Canton and I didn't remember it being so huge...the last time I was there...it was brand new and just starting out if that tells you anything...I was overwhelmed by excitement and made almost all of my purchases before going through my first pavillion because of the excitement...I had such a blast going from one booth to the next looking for great finds...I also had to find a birthday gift for my husband who has everything...I found the answer to the nagging question of what to get for a man who has everything...GO TO CANTON of course...you will surely find something that they do not have.

Below are just a few of my purchases of the day...I love them all...and can't wait to go back again soon.

This is my new eyeglass case...I had lost my old one and I love it.

I found this really cute hot pink passport book that I can keep my passport in when we go to Italy the end of September for my husband's World Championship race against 32 other countries...I want to look fancy with this brightly colored case...there is also room for my driver's license and other cards...I can have them all together when I go through all the check points instead of having to get them out one by one with a chance of dropping one and losing some identity...this will have it all together... it was only $10...one of my favorite purchases
Of course, you can't go to Canton and not get something for your grand baby's...I found this wonderful little Christmas smock dress for Alli...she loves modeling clothes if you can keep her still long enough to take a picture...I put it on her to take some pictures and she just kept running around the room, yelling like a little barracuda, because she was so excited.

This is the only way that I could get a close up picture...my son Zachary had to hold onto her...so that you can see the little candy canes going across the front of the dress....so precious.

This is the other little Christmas dress that I got for Alli...I barely got this picture because she was running around like a little ballerina...she was so precious in this dress and looked like a little angel.

This is better look at the back with the plaid bow...and the satin on the trim at the bottom...I got this dress at the same booth of the smock dress...I think it was one of my favorite booths of the day.

The dress that I have on is another one of my purchases...my husband has always wanted me to buy a red dress and when I saw this one..I fell in love with it...not only for the color but for the confortability and simplicity of it...I don't feel as though I stand out as much...another thing he loves me to wear is red lipstick...I hate it because I feel as though I am drawing attention to myself, although I love it on other women...just not myself...but I thought I would surprise my husband and show up at church with it on...he had to drive in from Dallas from work, so when he walked into church...he was surprised and shocked and complemented me all day....I always love that...this was another way that I could get Alli to stay still for a picture...she was precious in her little dress...If you are looking at my eyes and thinking that they really look green...please overlook it...I was playing around trying to get the red eye out and thought I would just play around and paint them green like they are a lot of times (they change colors depending on what I wear)...anyway, I was just playing around and planning on erasing it and then just getting rid of the red eye...but I accidentally saved it and I had already erased it from my camera and couldn't get it back...just don't enlarge it so that you can see how riduculous they really look.

I made one more purchase for the day, but I cannot post it until after my husband's birthday next week....I am afraid that he will look at my blog and see it...but let me tell you, I can't wait for him to open it so that I can use it...it is great!!!! I think that he will really LOVE it. When I post it, I will also list the web-site that you can buy one on...the man also said that you could say that you are a friend of Tammy Pearson who purchased on at Canton and you could receive the same price that I did at Canton...they are more expensive online....so just by going to the blog and reading mine, you can get a deal...How great is that.

Canton Trade Days

2008-08-30T22:23:00.033-05:00

We started out the day in the first pavilion that we walked through finding all kinds of jewels...one of the first booths that we walked into was called "Tattle Tales" and they had just placed this blanket out for advertising...it just so happened to have Vivi's name on it...there are not too many names like Vivi monogrammed on anything...but if there is going to be one....Kim will find it.

As you can see...Kim was overwhelmed with emotion and so excited that she had found something with Vivi's name on it...Kim shared the story of their adoption of Vivi and the lady that owned the booth said it was meant to be and gave it to her at a much lower price....I learned a lot that day....give those that own these booths some good stories and they will really work with you on the prices and you don't have to jew them down, they will just offer....Kim had a special gift of doing that all day....I need to stick around her a little longer so that I can learn how to do it from her...she never meets a stranger and can talk to them as if she has known them for years.
After shopping all day...it was time to eat and eat Kim did, not one but two ears of corn....she loved the corn on the cob and ate two of them before you could say corn on the cob....before she had gotten back with her corn though...I had already scarfed down my corny dog so there is no picture of me eating.

To prepare for our day....I brought a Tide to Go pen...I finally got to use it on Kim's shirt as she dropped a little corn juice on her white shirt, no telling how yellow it would have been had I not had the Tide to Go pen...I was kind of hoping I would accidentally drop some mustard on my pants while I was eating my corny dog so that I could use it for the first time...no luck, I am just not a messy eater.
Having some fun with Max...while we are waiting to get my sign made....there was a huge fan and Max loved hearing himself talking in the fan...it made a great sound to him....so of course, Kim had to join in the singing...it was a priceless moment.
Max is on his dad's side and wanting something really bad here and I can't remember what it was...but he was so cute...I had to take a picture.
My future's so bright...I gotta wear shades.
While Kim was in the background buying a ton of bows for Vivi...Paul, Max and I sat down at a table next to her booth while she shopped and Max was getting ready to throw something in the trash can...this should have been a sign of what the day would be like after having so much fun and lots of shopping.
Having a little FUN!!!
Max and I having a little fun while mom and dad were shopping.
This was the sign I mentioned earlier...waiting on Kim as she shops...Kim is in the background shopping again...while we wait...my feet were killing me at this point...I sat in the child chairs that Paul and Kim bought and just set down, waiting on Kim.
Had to get this picture of Kim shopping in the toy booth that day on our way out....we saw them when we first came in and wanted to get the toys on the way out.
While Kim is shopping...I thought I would take a load off and prop my feet up.
Me waiting on Kim again.
Like I said earlier...Kim never meets a stranger and this is her just talking to her...I am sure she will know all about this lady and her family by the time she gets back to us.
Just waiting on Kim again while she gets the life history of the lady in the booth behind me.
Another trip to the toy booth.
Yes, you guessed it....waiting on Kim again.
while she shops for a King size mattress and they end up buying them....yeah...they got a great bargain on a Beauty rest pillow top mattress....they will love it.
I am tired and sweating at this point waiting on Kim again....still smiling though....I was going to name this blog waiting on Kim again....to play a joke on her....I looked for every opportunity to take pictures while she wasn't looking....I actually saw a lot of friends while I was there and one of them passed by while she was shopping for mattresses and I had her take this picture of me waiting on Kim again....she was laughing as she took my picture and I was trying so hard not to laugh, but there is a little smile of me thinking of what I was getting ready to do...she has gotten me so many times over the years and I just had to get her back....I will have to blog about the time that her, Mark and Amy got me really good with a fake camera that Mark had bought on ebay just to play a joke on me....I have been waiting for years to set something up....I am still thinking of something (this isn't it) but when I do, it will be big and really good....I do have a lot of blackmail pictures that she has been begging me not to put up....I love it....she should be very scared....VERY!!!!
After the day of shopping, burning up, shopping and then having buyers remorse....I had a bad headache and came prepared with BC Powder.
Finally felt better and had to get a refreshment...an Ice cold Coca Cola Icee....Yummmm
After the end of the day...everyone was tuckered out....Max had been so good the whole day....but I think he had had it and was out before we left Canton....so sweet and precious.
Believe it or not....Kim is actual ly sleeping like this....she should have a good crick in her neck when she wakes up....really, can you actually sleep like that? She wore me out and she is the one sleeping....what a Fun and Great day that we had though....we never got to meet up with Patti who was there or my friend Cathy....that place is as big as the Fair and you need walkie talkies while you are there because phone service is NOT good....we never could find each other....Too bad....I really wanted to see Avery, Patti's grand baby....and see all that they had bought....Can't wait to go again and am ready for the next month...oh wait, I can't go next month...I will be in Italy...maybe November...it will be crazy at that point with everyone shopping for Christmas.

Pillsbury Recipe

2008-08-25T22:47:00.001-05:00

If you love cupcakes of any kind, you will really love these. This is my recipe for good cooking, short video, please watch.

You make me wear a smile!!!

2008-08-25T17:45:00.004-05:00

My new blogging buddy Carolyn gave me this sticker. I really appreciate it. Go visit her blog, she has lots of fun stuff and lots of giveaways. Thank you Carolyn!!!

50th Wedding Anniversary

2008-08-24T16:20:00.020-05:00

My mother's best friend Wally and her husband had their 50th wedding anniversary this past weekend. My mother was away working and so I filled in for her until she could get back to help with the party. We decorated, made invitations, and cleaned and I tell you what, this woman can run circles around me. It is totally embarrassing, to be almost 30 years younger and they can out do, out work, and out run you.

The day finally came with all the preparation and hundreds of people came through wishing them well. I have known Wally and Bryan my whole life, she is from Germany and he is from New York, and it is amazing they have lasted 50 years together. Talk about opposites, but then again, opposites attract. Same with my husband and myself.

The party was well attended and there was so much food, fruit, cake, champagne, punch and cold drinks. It was a great party. My job was to take pictures of everyone that came through and make sure that they signed into the guest book. I will not bother with uploading all the pictures, you wouldn't know who most of them were, I sure didn't. I was putting the wrong couples together while taking pictures. There were a few couples that didn't appreciate me taking their pictures, and some that were upset that I did anyway. That is what you have to go through when you greet people. I did however get to take all of the gifts and stand in a corner without having to move, my kind of job.

K.C. and Christopher (Bryan and Wally's kids). I am not sure where the red hair came in though. He is accused of looking like Waldo the dog more than his parents. Not really, he really looks like his dad, I am still not sure where the red hair came in though.

Wally with my youngest son Zachary.

KC and Chris showing their love for one another.

Max and Alli's Playdate

2008-08-22T18:04:00.021-05:00

I took Alli to Max's house today for a play date. They set at the bar waiting for some food, anxiously waiting for Kim and I to feed them. After they ate a little food, they decided to play. Alli went crazy in Max's room full of toys, and Max was so sweet to share all of his toys making sure that Alli had a turn to hit his ball and play with his instruments. He was trying to take care of her like a big brother. I know that he will be a great brother looking after his new sister when she gets here. He is a little caretaker.

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After we left Max's house from playing, I was feeding Alli and left her in her high chair. I was on the phone answering a call talking to a young man asking political questions from Texas Tech for a poll. I couldn't see her and thinking Chris had taken her in the other room playing, I didn't think about it. The call was pretty long. I finally got finished with the call and stood up and saw Alli in her high chair and had to take a few pictures. Her playdate with Max had tuckered her out.

I GOT A BUCKET!!!!

2008-08-20T20:15:00.002-05:00

Check out Diva's Diary and look at what she is giving away. Some really neat stuff and a fun blog too. Look what I won this week.....YEAH!!!

Team USA - Gyor, Hungary

2008-08-18T23:27:00.104-05:00

I have been working on this blog all day...it is a long one....it is about our trip to Gyor, Hungary....I promised Renie that I would write about my trip there...so back up to the reason that we had the privilege of going is because my husband qualified to race for Team USA....he is a triathlete, he runs duathlons, marathons and adventure races....he is an amazing man. Flashback to September 11, 2001, he awoke from a coma the day the trade centers fell....He was in ICU and all the nurses had the television sets all on the news....Chris being a Captain for the Dallas Fire Department woke up to confusion...he thought that he had been in it or caused it....he was in a huge state of confusion.

Just 3 days earlier on his birthday....Chris was on a training ride for an upcoming race for the next couple of days....he was riding his bike and was coming around a corner and was hit head on by a truck who happened to be driven by a life long friend...it also happened to be the first day that our friend had taken his cell phone with him to the hay fields that he was headed too....Chris was knocked unconscious and was hurt bad....my friend called 9-1-1 and immediately they arrived out in the country and knew that he wouldn't make it if he were transported....I happened to be home that day and they called me at home to come and be by his side...they didn't know if he would live through the accident....his left side was crushed...and he was care flighted to the nearest Level 1 Trauma unit over an hour away. They flew the helicopter right to the scene and shut down traffic...I got to see him right before they put him in the helicopter. Once he arrived at the hospital...he underwent a long surgery and the doctor's couldn't figure out where he was bleeding from....they opened him up and had to repair his spleen, remove the lower lobe of his left lung, his left kidney, all of his ribs on the left side were broken, his scapula was broken (he has a curve in his upper back because it today), his hip and his left hand. Doctor's didn't know if he would make it and said that he would be on the ventilator for at least 3 weeks....what do they know...God is bigger than that...we started praying...the first day I was in shock, but the second day as I was staying in an apartment, I layed in my bed and was crying out to God...I envisioned myself laying in God's lap and letting Him rub my head and comforting me....He led me to a scripture in Psalms and at that moment, I knew that he would live and that he would be okay....I woke up with such peace and began to comfort those that came to visit him....he was unrecognizable.... Chris woke up on the third day and pulled out his tube...and was talking. Since he was in ICU...there were only certain times that I could visit...I walked in and to my surprise, he was awake and alert...he asked me who I was and I was scared he had forgotten me....I told him that I was his wife and he asked me that if I were to die on my way home, did I know if I would go to Heaven ....I said yes reassuring him of that fact....he asked if we had any children...I can't tell you how terrified I was to tell him that we had six children thinking that he would go back into a coma....but reluctantly I told him...he said bring them here right now...I have to know if they would go to Heaven if they died....he asked everyone that came into his room that question and his Chief from the fire department because of the question that was posed accepted Christ into his life.

He came back from his accident and had a race 7 months to the day of his accident and placed second...amazing and a miracle as well as an inspiration...and then last year, he qualified to race with Team USA against 32 other countries...in Gyor Hungary....and here are just some of our pictures of our trip.

(If you click on the pictures, you can see a better view of what we were seeing)

This is Chris waiting for our flight at JFK airport, annoyed with me for taking pictures.

We arrived in Gyor Hungary and went to our room with no AC and was shocked when we saw the way our beds were arranged. We had to sleep head to head or feet to feet.
This was our first night in Gyor with Team USA eating out and enjoying getting to know our new friends.
Our first trip to Budapest.
I took a lot of pictures of all the building because the architecture was gorgeous and hundreds and hundreds of years old, much older than anything in the states.
On our tour, we saw a homeless man sleeping in the park.
This bridge was amazing and had so much history to it...if only I could remember the history...our ear phones that were in about 17 different languages kept going out and we couldn't hear every word that was said.
These are our new traveling buddies...Dick and Barb Morgan from Pennsylvania...we traveled with them to Virginia and are staying with them again the end of September in Rimini Italy where Chris qualified again for Team USA this year. Did I mention that he will be 51 years old?
Chris and I changing buses for the rest of the tour through Budapest.
This was an old building, part of a castle I think...may be wrong on that one.
We are on one side, I can't remember which side is Buda and which side is Pest, one is flat and the other is mountainous separated by the Danube.
This building held artillery and it actually blew up inside accidentally and since has been restored.
This bridge was famous for those that wanted to commit suicide...the commentator said most of them just wanted attention. It is over the Danube.
This is their version of the statue of liberty. You can't see the beautiful waterfall coming from the bottom of it.
This was a gorgeous monument...the archangel Michael is on the top
Dick and Barb Morgan
This guy was in the square of Gyor and his music was very calming and was form Ecuador.
This was our favorite part of the trip. We met Red from Australia and he went on the train ride with us all the way to Vienna Austria...he was from Europe, had been in a prison camp and had to defect (if that is the term) to Australia and couldn't tell his family where he had gone or they would have been tortured...it was amazing just listening to him....if you look closely...he looks more like Chris than Chris' own dad. Believe it or not, he was in his 80's and was doing the race and placed in his age group, he was our blessing in the whole trip...he was going to Vienna to meet his sister and brother-in-law...we had the privilege of getting to meet all of them and loved them so much. We hope to see him again in Rimini Italy this September. Such a humble and gracious man. He became our tour guide. Oh we all wanted to just bring him home with us. We will never forget him.
Red told us how to travel through Vienna so that we could see everything, so the next few pictures are of Vienna, such a beautiful city and most of the people there spoke English which was wonderful...they didn't in Gyor where we were staying.

These guys were all over the city promoting a play or a theatre act, can't remember, but they were hilarious....we really had a lot of fun with them....you can tell by their poses.
This was inside the church....organ...absolutely gorgeous. This church was hundreds and hundreds years old.

I am not sure what this is, but I thought that I would get out of the sun and rest my legs, Chris thought he would take a picture of me sitting in it. We were on the Danube watching a wedding that was going on a boat that was docked....I felt like an imposter looking on...but it was gorgeous and sweet.
The day of the race....the countries were lining up for the Parade of Nations.
Across the street, Team USA including Chris is lining up for pictures before the parade down through the center of Gyor. If you click on the picture, you can see there are only a few of them....these are all the ones that qualified from Texas. There were a total of about 105 on the team.
Getting everyone lined up and ready for the parade. We are getting very excited here at this point to be a part of something like this is amazing.
The band leading the countries, one by one all lined up.

TEAM USA....YEAH...my husband Chris looking at me.

We had to walk around the naked momument in the center of the square. I just had to take a picture of him, but I spared you the private areas, and believe me, it was all there.

People were flying flags out of their homes cheering us on....this was a neat part of the parade....they made you feel really welcomed.
The countries are all lining up being introduced....Gyor had a huge party for everyone, thousands of people wth food and plenty of entertainment.
Introducing TEAM USA....YEAH!!!!!

Dancers like you have never seen before....they were awesome
These girls and guys danced with bottles on their heads.

The first day of the race and Dick and I are looking for our spouse's so that we can take pictures...they started the women after the men....so that it would be staggered and not so packed.
We can see the race site from our balcony window.
Just part of the race site below and the deadly corner they had to take.
They were taking this corner so fast that they had to put hay bales out for crashes...I was in our room filming above them...you could see everything from up there.
Chris in his Team USA uniform getting ready...contemplating his moves.
These are just two other of the friends that I made, Holly on the left of me is a lawyer in Florida as well as her husband that is racing....a true Lifetime movie was made after their lives....together they got a lady out of prison who had been wrongfully accused....but on the Lifetime movie, they combined the characters and made them into one lawyer being a woman....neat story and Debbie on my right whose house was in the movie Hoosiers...and her and her family were actually in one of the scenes in the living room of their house in the movie...I still need to check it out and watch it again just so I can see her.... She works on setting movie sets up now, amazing and precious women.
Holly and Debbie
Chris in transition...came in from running and now getting on his bike before coming in again and running another 5 miles to finish after biking over 20 miles and running the first time over 5 miles....only an animal can do that. If you notice, there are not many bikes in yet....that is a good sign. He did place right in the middle of his age group our of hundreds of great athletes...the best of the best. Chris was just honored to have qualified.
Chris right after the race....it was extremely hot...he was sticking out his tongue for the camera shot. He was beat!!! Another view from our balcony.
TEAM USA award ceremony that night...the women getting recognized.
The men getting recognized...Chris is in the back with the white cap.

It was a great trip and we met a lot of friends and we became like family....we will see most of them this year again and some new ones. Team USA is racing in Rimini Italy this year...we will be going the end of September and staying over for vacation...we will visit Florence, Bologna, Rome and a few other places while we are there. I am so excited about going. It will be here before we know it....I will make sure that I take lots of pictures and I will definately post them.

Before I Kick The Bucket List

2008-08-14T20:37:00.007-05:00

Okay, several people have been making bucket lists and I thought I would before I ran out of time. If I had to make a bucket list, which I don't, I just want to, I would add a few things like this:

Make a difference in someones life
Change someones life
See that my children marry good Christian spouse's
See my grandchildren come to know the Lord
Finish Chrysalis House
To know the depth of God's love for me
Recognize my full potential

Now the fun bucket list:

Go skydiving
Run on the beach in a string bikini and have the body to do it (something about pure freedom) or go skinny dipping with my husband in a private area (term; skinny).
Learn how to water ski (I have lived on the lake my whole life and never learned to ski, not for a lack of trying)
Go to Israel and stay until I see everything
Stay longer in Europe
Visit every memorial history site there is in the world (I love history)
Renovate my whole house (I have lived in my house for over 20 years)
Better yet, have Extreme Makeover do it for me
See all the wonders of the world
Go bungee jumping off a bridge
Learn how to fly a piper cub plane
Go up in a big air balloon
Win the stew contest in the country Fair's
Meet Paula Deen and learn how to cook better
Take some chef classes
Be a nutrition expert so I will know how to feed my family better as well as myself
Stop watching TV
Buy all new dinnerware
Throw a huge party with every friend that I have, and every acquaintance so I can get to know them better
Last but not least, after I kick the bucket, I would want my funeral to be a celebration of the way that I lived my life. With everyone knowing that I love the Lord first and foremost, love my husband and my family. I would want those there to talk about all the practical jokes I pulled on them and talk about how I made them laugh, not be sad, but inspiring to others. Be remembered as someone that was only one person, that I couldn't do everything, but that I didn't refuse to do the something that I could do (Helen Keller).

I am sure there would be more to put on my bucket list, but I can't think of anything else. I am sure that as I read most of your lists, I would probably add to mine. It kind of makes you think of how you want to live your life....to its fullest.

The Morning Hair After

2008-08-13T07:31:00.004-05:00

Well, this is the morning after and no matter how great it looked yesterday, there is no denying it needs a lot of work this morning. I was told that I would just be able to get up and go without doing a thing to it. I have holes in my head from sleeping. I couldn't stand a front view of my new haircut. It was too hideous.

Look at this hole in the left side of my head.

And now I just look like I am ready to take flight or something. I look like I have some sort of wing sticking in the back of my head. Wow, just as you really like a haircut, there is always the next morning. I have got a lot of work ahead of me to do today. Wish me luck.

Happily Hair After

2008-08-12T22:05:00.012-05:00

Okay, this was a before shot lastnight before I went in to have my hair cut and colored today. I tried to take every attractive angle I could, but there doesn't seem to be one. I even have my glasses forever imprinted on the bridge of my nose. I do look tan though don't I?

This may be my only attractive side if you can even call it that. Please don't pay attention to all the Sonice drinks in the background or the messy couch table.

The front view which is never a good side. My glasses imprinted on the bridge of my nose really stands out. I am postive that this is the reason I sing through my nose and so badly. (you know everyone has to have an excuse of some kind)

Today was the day, I was going to take 10 years off of my looks. I have been getting the same hair cut for over a year now and wanted something new and different. I had seen everyone with the style that I had. I told my hairdresser to go for it. Well, she did, I looked in the mirrow as she was cutting and asked her almost crying, "Do I look like a boy?' I didn't have any make-up on and really thought that I was kind of looking a little boyish and was thinking, "what the H E double hockey sticks did I just do, O MY GOSH"

Well, she fixed it and went I got home, my husband went crazy. He LOVED it, he said in all the years that we have been married, this has to be his favorite cut. He said that he was tired of the other cut. He had no idea that I was getting this much cut off. I guess it worked.
Remember the front view is not my good side.

I think I like it. I look like I am ready for a rock concert or something. BTW: It looks like I am not wearing anything, but since I was looking 10 years younger, I thought I would put on a tube top to send my husband over the edge. He went so over the edge that he tivoed the Summer Olympics and have been watching them ever since. What does a woman have to do to get her husband's FULL attention if you know what I mean. Gosh, next time, I think I will just shave my head.

SO what do you think, did it take a couple of years off of me or do I just look like another rock fan? Comment me if you are passing by.
Thanks!!!

From Pea' Corner

2008-08-12T08:19:00.005-05:00

Okay, I told Pea that I would post her advertisement on my blog if she would cheat and draw my name. So I am praying now that she will cheat and draw my name for this great prize. If you haven't checked it out, go to www.peascorner.blogspot.com. She has a big giveaway. I really hope that I win....all you have to do is comment.....or blackmail.....I chose the latter form and pray that it works for me as I love the giveaway. Now those of you who know me, know that I am just kidding right. NOT!!!!

It's blueberry season here in my area and to celebrate, I decided to have a Blueberry Giveaway!!! I wish I could send you all fresh wild blueberries but it probably would be too messy to send by mail! lol Instead, I put together a blueberry themed basket!!!

A blueberry coffee mug...ok, it's actually blue polka dots but use your imagination and pretend they're blueberries! hehe

Blue ribbons....

Blueberry candle...it smells just like fresh blueberries!

Blueberry note cards....

Blueberry soap...it smells divine!

Blueberry Tea for two!!

Blueberry Napkins!

Just leave me a comment on this post and on Monday, August 18th, I will draw a name and announce the winner!!! Make sure you tell all your friends to sign up....you can use the first picture to announce my giveaway:-) Good luck everyone! Hugs xoxox

Mrs. Happy Face

2008-08-11T20:54:00.004-05:00

Okay, as you can guess....HE finally showed up after 3 weeks....Yeah....my refrigerator is fixed....and cold again.....he also fixed the ice machine on it too. So I am putting on my happy face today....and checking that one off my list for the week. As you can see...I have a choir behind me singing H-A-L-L-E-L-U-J-A-H!!!!!

Refrigerator Man

2008-08-11T11:35:00.003-05:00

This is the third time that I have had to wait home all day waiting for a repair man to come....this is getting frustrating and very old....I am stuck, can't go anywhere and I have to wait on them to call and let me know when they are coming.....UGH....I could be doing so much more without waiting....I am scared to go take a shower...because they might come to the door....scared to go pick up my son at football practice....it would probably be then that they decide to call or show up....can anyone give me some good repair men....or do they make them anymore? This is the third time that they were supposed to call and come by....is this going to be another one of those days.....I just pray it will be different.....it is going on 3 weeks since our frig went out.....I pray they show up today.

The Family

2008-08-09T12:45:00.005-05:00

This is an old picture of our family. Five of the kids are are all out of the house. Beside Chris in the back is Leslie (now 23, she has graduated from UNT and lives and works in Dallas), Ashley (now 26, married to Tanner and mother to Alli, massage therapist), Leigh Anne (now 21, in her Junior year at Baylor), on the bottom row, Christopher (now 22, in his Senior year at Northwestern in Louisana), me, Aaron (now 23, in the Marine Corp. and married to Claire from England, currently in Iraq), and my youngest Zachary (now 15, a Sophmore in High School). This is my Brady Bunch!!!

The Brady Bunch

2008-08-08T01:07:00.000-05:00

This will be the new page for my family news....we are the Brady Bunch....we have 3 boys and 3 girls...I wish that I had a recent picture of our family so that I could post it....we have grown over the last couple of years with a new son-in-law and daughter-in-law....we have a grand baby named Alli....and I look forward to our family growing even more....when we have family get together's, we will have a crowd....I LOVE huge families.

Beach Babe

2008-08-07T19:59:00.001-05:00

These are the last of the vacation pictures, I promise. Ashley just downloaded all the pictures that she took that I didn't have. So I had to post a few of my favorites of Alli on the beach. She absolutely loved the water and didn't want to leave. As the sand under her feet squished out from her under her feet, she would lose her balance and fall into the water and still loved it. She is such a blast to play with and watch. She is fearless.

TAGGED

2008-08-05T19:57:00.001-05:00

My friend, Amy tagged me and is forcing me to reveal 5 of my favorite songs and tell the reasons why and then I have to tag 5 other friends, I am new and don't have a whole lot of friends to choose from that haven't already been tagged:

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others that you like and tell why.

3. Tag 5 people at the end of post and include links to their blogs.

4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, there are so many to choose from, especially when you are a fan to all types of music, this is really hard to just my top five. My favorite music is Praise and Worship music, but since most are listing music from their past, I will go that route

1. The tune from Andy Griffith: it just reminds me of my sweet innocence as a child and takes me back when everything was simple and easy and life was full of moon pies and mud pies. I used to whistle it all day long, you have to admit, it is a catchy tune. Once you start, you just can't stop whistling, I bet ya'll are trying to whilste that tune right now. My dad had a time teaching me how to whistle.

2. Thriller: by Michael Jackson because it takes me back to the eighties when life was fun as a young adult, trying to do the Thriller dance like Michael Jackson. Don't you just want to jerk your head to the right when you think about it, and wave your arms up in the air over your head.

3. God Bless the U.S.A.: I can't think of the guys name that sang this, but I want to say he was a country singer. I just love our country and I get goosebumps from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. Even saying the National Anthem gives me chills and makes me cry. I think that comes from having a son in the Marine Corp. serving in Iraq, fighting for our country.

Why is it right now that I can't think of a single song?

4. Turkey Leg: This is a Christmas song by Bing Crosby and believe it or not. I don't think this is the name of it, but this is what we always called it, the "Turkey Leg song". One part of the song goes, "Christmas is a coming and the bells begin to ring, the holly's in the window and the bird's begin to sing. Now I don't take time to worry and I don't take time to fret" the part about a turkey is is" if you haven't got a turkey leg, may God bless you". This reminds me of working with my good friend Kimi, we would sing this over and over and over again, going to work. We worked in Paris, an hour drive and sand it the entire hour until we learned all the words and now I can't remember them without ole Bing singing them with me. Great times of fun and laughter.

5. Whip it: by Devo. I love this 80's hit song. I would go around singing Whip it, whip it good!!! I also loved those red helmet/hat/upside down spreadable cups on their heads. They remind me of when music videos first came out and I tried to copy cat all the moves singing with a brush as a microphone. Who hasn't done that before.

Okay, that did it for my list. I have so many and it was very hard to think of just five favorite. Here is my friends who I am tagging. Forgive me if you don't want to be tagged.

1. Jen

2. Jill

3. Jaci

4. Britney

5. I am sorry, I don't have a fifth friend that hasn't been tagged. Anyone can tag themselves on here can't they?

Tuckered Times Two

2008-08-05T19:56:00.000-05:00

Alli and Grandma T all tuckered out and too tired to care where we sleep....

Caution: Wet Floor

2008-08-04T19:55:00.000-05:00

On the way home, Tanner, Ashley, Alli and Zachary stopped at a rest area to take a break....as they walked up to the restroom area....they saw Alli backing up to this sign and couldn't figure out what she was doing....she saw a small ledge and thought it was a seat especially for her....she just decided to take a load off....she is hilariously funny....and also looks like a little munchkin in the second picture...you can't see her legs!!!!

SO CUTE!!!!!

Saying Goodbye but not really

2008-08-04T19:53:00.000-05:00

The day after sending Tanner, Ashley, Alli and Zach home, we had to take Christopher and Leslie to the airport around the corner from where we were staying, I don't think I have seen a smaller airport except maybe Mt. Vernon's airport. I was impressed that they actually had this nice sign.

We got them to the airport and took some last minute pictures, Chris and I were a little depressed because now, all the kids were gone. We decided we would drown our sorrows in a bucket of Ice cream. We got back to the condo and about 15 minutes later, Leslie called and asked if we could come back and get them, there was a storm in Charlotte, North Carolina where they were taking the little puddle jumper too and their flight with only 8 people on it was canceled. They couldn't leave out until the next morning. Chris and I were so excited that they got to come back and stay for the whole vacation.

Leslie and I stayed up late and watched a movie and I blogged some more. We were both on our laptops and watching T.V. and talking at the same time, while Chris and Christopher played on the Wii game station trying to play Tiger Woods golf.

A great last evening together. I was so happy that their flight was cancelled.

The Hilton HeadIsland Airport

Christopher and Leslie being goofy!!

Me and the kids all being goofy!!!!

The squirrel behind Christopher got me distracted....he was so cute and tiny....he tried to go instead the airport terminal door....he almost made it too when it shut.

Chris and the kids....not sure why Chris is frowning!!!!

The Last Day on the Beach

2008-08-03T19:52:00.000-05:00

Setting up on the beach for the last time on vacation....pretty picture!!!

Leslie's favorite part of vacation....sunbathing and reading....she got a great tan throughout the week!!!

Christopher and Leslie conveniently playing paddle ball in front of Chelsea...the Lifeguard!!!

Is Christopher pouring on the charm or what????

Christopher finally got the Lifeguards attention....he had only been trying to impress her the whole week...her name is Chelsea and she is from Colorado and at Hilton Head for the summer

Chris and me last day....had a great time until I got home and realized how sunburned I was.

Chris and the kids....last day at the beach.....just having a good time

All of us that were left for the last day on the beach....had a great time together!!!

Saying Goodbye Is Hard To Do

2008-08-02T19:49:00.000-05:00

Tanner, Ashley and Alli had to leave on Friday to be home in time for Zach Glenn's wedding. Tanner was an usher, so they had to leave two days early from vacation. They also had to take Zachary because he started football practice on Monday. Since Chris and I are leaving on Sunday and taking two days, Zach wouldn't be back in time for practice so he had to leave with Tanner, Ashley and Alli.

We were watching Alli while Ashley packed, she was into everything. She had gotten into the Butt Paste and was trying to put it on, but you can see that she is really concentrating on opening it....she figured it out too!!!

It was really hard saying goodbye to them...and it just doesn't seem as fun without all the kids together. We were already missing Aaron and his wife Claire....he is still in Iraq....Leigh Anne had to do an internship in Dallas and couldn't be here either....I love it when all our chicks are in the nest and together.

Ghosts and Gravestones

2008-08-02T19:48:00.000-05:00

As we toured in a bus all around Savannah, the driver went so fast that we couldn't take pictures. But we noticed that they had a tour at night called Ghosts and Gravestones scare you. I can tell you, it is not worth the money if you want to get scared, but you do hear a lot of history and folklore. Our tour guide was dressed in costume but was so dark, I couldn't get a good picture. As we went around the city, she told stories of haunting's throughout Savannah. There are 90 known haunting's in homes and businesses and were featured on the SCI-FI channel on Ghost Hunters ( I don't watch it) and it is the most haunted city in the U.S. But after hearing everything that we were told, I would like to check out the history part of it. It was very interesting in how people's thought process worked in the 1700's.

They took us through the Sorell home where Molly; the woman of the house caught her husband with the hired slave and jumped from the third story building killing herself. On Ghost Hunters, they taped sounds that came from the carriage house that was were Molly caught her husband in the act. I have added the house pictures and the pretty furniture throughout the house, most of it is still original. It was so neat to see and feel as though you lived in that era.

They also took us to the graveyard and we learned that people died before they were born, or that they lived over 170 years, or that men were women; they were saying that a lot of stones were misprinted with wrong dates, it was all quite funny. People were buried on top of each other as much as 27 family members could be buried together. Once the city was built and then had the big fire that destroyed lots of homes, they forgot where most of the burial grounds were. When they started building homes and businesses, they would begin to dig and find buried treasure; meaning bodies, and they just built on top of the burial sites. Some of the homes that you will see below are some of those homes. We had a lot of fun in spite of not seeing any ghosts.

The Sorell House that was haunted by Molly...woman of the house.

This house was built on top of burial site as you can see how high it is set up.

Our friends from Savannah, Des and Brandon at the graveyard. Our tour guide picked Brandon out of the crowd and said he was marked and then blew some type of dust all over him...you can see it on his shirt.

The Sorell House...I loved this piece of furniture

This may have been an orphanage...can't really remember....but it looks like there is a dungeon underneath the stairs if you can see it

The Sorell House....I loved this couch and I knew my friend Kimi would love it too...so I had to take a picture of it...sorry I couldn't bring it home to you Kim

The courtyard of the Sorell House

Another haunted house, not sure what that bright light is to the right...I think it was the flash onto the side of the bussssss......hahahahahaha

Another house....forgot the history of this one

The Sorell House....we were listening to a tour guide who kept forgetting her speech....this room was gorgeous and old

This house used to be the mortuary....I think

Haunted business district....built on burial grounds

I just like the structure on this house....you can't see the brick on it....the brick itself had some history

The courtyard of the Sorell House....it was gorgeous

This was the only ghost I saw that night.....he was bored to tears

Another beautiful piece of furniture in the Sorell House

The Sorell House....our next tour guide waiting to take us through....the one that kept forgetting her lines.....actually, that was pretty scary....she acted funny....maybe she was seeing ghosts or something or trying to channel them....NO, I think she was just forgetting

One of the old gravestones....looks like a person to the bottom right

This is the room in the Sorell house that looked over the carriage house where Molly caught her husband with the slave...she jumped to her death right above that window

I just loved the architecture on this building

Most of the buildings on the river front used to be cotton gins.....this was one of them

Another part of the graveyard...but I bet you didn't know about the Spanish moss hanging from the tree....it was from a curse supposedly from a woman who was hanged on the square....the moss has chiggers that live in them....people used to stuff their mattresses with them to make them softer.....thus the saying....."don't let the bed bugs bite".....the things you learn on tours.....We were strictly forbidden to touch it....after hearing that, who would!!!

Dinner and Game Night

2008-08-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

As a family tradition when going on family vacations, we always try to sit down and have dinner together as a family and then bring out the games. The dinner was great, Christopher wanted to cook, so he marinated chicken and grilled it. The girls stepped in and finished the rest of the meal. It was wonderful, it is so great to have grown children that love cooking and love to help with the clean up. I have to say we have awesome kids.

We then got into more comfortable clothing and put on our game faces. If you know me well, you know that I LOVE to win and I am very competitive, especially with my family. Having 6 children and now a son-in-law, they love to gain up on the mother for some reason, I guess I am an easy target, but I know how to dish it out as well. I can put on my poker face and taunt them just as bad as they do me.

Things began to go downhill when I began to win each round of dominoes with a huge lead. No one liked it at all, as you will be able to tell by the pictures. Christopher gave me the evil eye, Zachary lost all hope for winning and Tanner still thought he had a chance. Ashley, Chris and Leslie were just playing to have fun, they didn't care. My competition is the worst with the boys, they hate for their mother to beat them. I LOVE IT!!!! And as you will see in the end, I rubbed it in and did a victory dance, although I don't look to flattering in them, I was still thrilled to win again and again and again. I ended up winning the whole game. AWESOME!!!!!

Just Waiting To Go To The Beach

2008-07-31T19:43:00.001-05:00

Okay....I've got my tankini on and I am ready to go.....
But mom.....those people are swimming down there
Fine....if I can't go now....I am taking off this silly hat
Okay....I put it back on....now can we go
Please mom.....can we go now
What do I have to do to go to the beach.....I have everything on
But look.....those people get to swim
I think pouting will work....I will give it a little of that
Don't look at me.....unless you mean that we can go now
P L E A S E
Okay....not much longer
I want to go down there.....with those kids
YEAH, we get to go now
I am so happy we get to go....I just hope I don't wet my diaper again.....that would be embarrasing

Our Day In Savannah Georgia

2008-07-30T19:41:00.000-05:00

Little Riley smiling squenching up his face when he smiles....we got to visit with a friend and her son while we were in Savannah....catching up on things...had a great time!!!
Here is a little better smile....he doesn't look like he is crying.....he squenches up his face when he smiles...sweetest little boy....I don't know how they ever get onto him.
Desiree and me at "The Pirate's House" eating lunch catching up on each other's lives.
Riley in his pirate outfit....which is so neat....before it was all torn out....the back of it was the children's menu for "The Pirate's Place".
The wall in the room that we ate in....was the oldest part of the building....built in the 1700's....we were eating inside a little bit of history.
Ashley, Tanner and Alli eating sitting below the stairs that go nowhere....
Tanner and Alli trying to scare us through the window in our room....there were a couple of panes that were broken out that Alli was sticking her head through.
Tess....our waitress.....was all smiles....her husband who had been in Iraq for around 16 months came home on leave for 45 days....but is headed to Afghanistan after his leave.....I told her that we would keep her and her husband in our prayers....I love military men...since my son is in the Marine Corp.
Me, Des and Riley taking last minute photos before leaving to go on a tour through Savannah.
Me and Des close up.
I think I already posted this one....but oh well.
Alli just chilling out before the Trolley ride....she had a lot to think about before going on this tour...like whether or not she was going to be good or act up...she did good....she impressed everyone around us....they asked if she was that happy all the time....she was trying to go to everyone.....never meets a stranger.
We had to have stickers before we could get on the trolley....somehow this ended up on Alli's head....it hurt her to take it off....but she was a trooper.
Alli is so happy to have a break and get off of that hot trolley....raising her hands up high in the air.....she was saying YES.....I can get another diaper change.

The Crazy Crab

2008-07-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

I first have to say...I am new at this and I don't know how to get the horoscope off of it...so please overlook it as you look through my pictures....Tuesday night, our family decided to go out to eat at the famous Crazy Crab at Hilton Head...we had so much fun with the kids and ate so much that we got sick...then went outside to watch the fireworks show that was being displayed....I have to say, they were as good as the shows at home at Lake Cypress....then we headed off to Coldstone to make ourselves even sicker with eating too much icecream....but we had a great time and created memories for ourselves and our kids.

Alli Renee' Crump

2008-07-28T19:34:00.000-05:00

This is Alli waking up early with a huge fuzzy head (my favorite time) trying to get out of trouble. She was trying to stick her fingers in the electrical sockets on the wall....She is so cute....I will be getting better pictures of her throughout the week.

The pool outside our back door

2008-07-28T19:33:00.001-05:00

This is what we can see right outside our condo. Although it is a little fuzzy, the humidity when I walked outside clouded my camera and my glasses. This is where we had the party tonight with all of the members here at Hilton Head. We are staying at Island Links at Hilton Head Resort, it is gorgeous. The kids are really having a good time...FYI...we didn't win any of the great door prizes they were offering tonight at the party. With around 300 people there...little chance of us winning anything. Booooh

The pool outside our back door

2008-07-28T19:33:00.000-05:00

Colonial Williamsburg Virginia

2008-07-28T19:18:00.000-05:00

As I was clearing my camera of all the pictures so that I could take pictures of our vacation and post new ones, I realized I had never downloaded the pictures of our trip to Williamsburg in the Spring. I thought that I would add them....Chris and I went for a race in Virgina so that he could qualify to race for Team USA in Rimini, Italy in September. He DID and we are going to Rimini Italy the last week in September...he will be racing against 32 other countries.

Off to Hilton Head

2008-07-25T19:12:00.001-05:00

I am leaving for vacation for the week, and I am not able to receive comments at this time, but you can certainly email me if you woud like to message me. I am off to Hilton Head bright and early in the morning. I know all of you will miss me.

Annual Mammogram Today

2008-07-24T12:38:00.000-05:00

Yes, if you couldn't guess what I had to do today and no it doesn't hurt like it looks. But I encourage everyone to do it annually. It literally took 15 minutes today and over a two hour roundtrip drive. The gas bill hurt worse that the procedure itself.

I've been captured by a blogger named Kimi Kay

2008-07-23T12:04:00.000-05:00

My friend Kim has a blog she uses as a journel for friends and family to keep up with their lives since their first adoption of Max. I thought this would be a great idea for me as well to journal my life, my family, my thoughts and my fears while in the process of opening a home for single mothers and their children, named Chrysalis House.