Me and My Blog

Tagged

2009-01-05T09:45:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine tagged me in this post on her blog. So, here's mine Kristen (and, you even got a link).

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car): Pepper Pilot

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Chocolate Sugar

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Red Dog

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born): Darlene Baton Rouge

5. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The Green Coke Zero

6. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers): Oscar Flavel

7. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ): Jane Lee

8. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Davis Denver

9. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Gerbera Daisy

10. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + ie or y): Watermellon Pantsy

11. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Oatmeal Dogwood

12. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”): The Photo Snow Tour

I'm tagging:

Anyone who wants to play along

Thanksgiving

2008-12-02T13:04:00.007-05:00

We had a nice relaxing Thanksgiving day at our house this year with a couple of our very best friends, Jason and Rachel. Plenty of good food, Dallas Cowboy football, good conversation and Scrabble. It was a fun day.

A few days before Thanksgiving, Lance and I were talking with Chloe and asked her what she was thankful for. Her response was, "Family. But, you can't fit a family in a cornucopia."

Rachel's 11th Birthday

2008-11-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

My sweet Rachel had her 11th birthday on November 19th. We had a family celebration that day, then a sleepover with a few of her best friends on the weekend.

Rachel has grown into such an amazing young lady. She loves Dallas Cowboy football, the color blue, drawing, singing, stuffed animals, and playing the violin. She is a total animal lover, who spends much of her time studying dog, horse or wildlife books.

Here are a few of the many things I see in Rachel that make me so proud of her:

She is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in.
She genuinely loves people, cares for them, and wants the best for them.
She is a terrific student, and loves to learn.

God has great plans for you, Rachel. I love watching you grow to be more like Him every day. I love you!

Words

2008-11-06T14:02:00.005-05:00

Chloe's recent observation on reading:

"So, words are just the sounds of letters put together?"

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T23:15:00.010-04:00

Pumpkins

Pirate Rachel

Hannah as Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia

Chloe as Reepicheep from The Chronicles of Narnia

Group photo with our neighbor, little pirate Grayson

The Hunt IV

2008-10-31T10:18:00.014-04:00

Yet another amazing Hunt this year! 148 students participated, and many adults. The girls and I attend the Hunt every year, and help out in some way, but this was my first year to be a driver. I had a group of six 7th graders (including Hannah) in my car. My friend Kelly rode with us and kept me sane. It took us almost 4 hours of driving around to complete the mission. We were the 12th team (out of 29) to finish. I recovered nicely after taking 4 Advil and drinking 2 Cokes.

HSM 3

2008-10-27T10:03:00.006-04:00

Yes, we all (including Lance) went to see High School Musical 3 on Friday. It was a fun family night.

One More Reason to Love Chick-fil-A

2008-10-20T22:11:00.005-04:00

After paying for our lunch today at the Westminster Mall, I was handed my receipt and told that I could bring it back on my next visit and get the same order I placed today free! After the surprise wore off, Lance asked "Why?" We were told that they do this every Monday. Why have I never heard of this? I'm so happy to have stumbled upon this awesome offer.

And, sharing it with you was my pleasure.

Happy Fall

2008-10-14T17:24:00.001-04:00

We did finally get a few shots with their eyes open.

Too Bright

2008-10-13T13:27:00.008-04:00

It was a bit sunny Saturday when we ventured out to the pumpkin patch.

Soda

2008-10-08T20:12:00.004-04:00

Really, Food Lion?

Good Books

2008-09-30T11:33:00.013-04:00

"A children's book read only by children is a bad children's book."

- C.S. Lewis

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

A great story told with a few words and many illustrations. I read it this summer - twice!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

I've been a fan of Kate DiCamillo since reading The Tale of Despereaux when it came out several years ago. Edward Tulane is a story about life and love and choosing to love even though it brings pain. I read this one out loud to Chloe. We both loved it.

I'm a big fan of children's books, and the above are two of my recent favorites. What are you (or your kids) reading? What are some must reads on your list?

Recipe

2008-09-24T10:22:00.014-04:00

We tried this recipe recently when we had a couple of friends spending the night with us. All 5 girls enjoyed mixing their individual cake, watching it cook, then eating it. Thanks for the fun recipe, Mom.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tablespoons cake flour (plain flour, not self-raising)

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

a small splash of vanilla

1 coffee mug

Put dry ingredients in mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla essence, and mix again. Microwave for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise above the top of the mug while cooking.

Crunchy Goodness

2008-09-16T15:15:00.006-04:00

While shopping at BJ's today, I treated myself to a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips. I absolutely love these. I never buy them, because I will eat the whole bag in one day. And, I'm talking about the big 1 lb 8 oz bag. I start with a few, but can't stop myself until the bag is empty.

It was lunch time when I purchased them. I had them opened and was munching on them before I left the store parking lot. And now I'm just trying not to get chip crumbs in my keyboard as I type and crunch.

First Game

2008-09-14T15:20:00.005-04:00

Saturday morning at 7:00, my bedroom door swung open. I woke up to find Chloe standing in the doorway fully dressed in her soccer uniform. Her very first "game" was at 12:00 that day and she was ready. I talked her out of putting on her cleats until closer to game time.

In the 4-6 year old soccer academy, the teams are split up on game days and they play 3 on 3 matches on tiny fields. No score is kept and the coaches are on the field with the kids. It is a lot of fun to watch and Chloe is having a blast. Go Team Italy!

Good Morning, Chloe

2008-09-12T08:33:00.011-04:00

I walked into Chloe's room this morning to wake her up.

I sat down beside her on the bed.

She opened her eyes, looked over at me and said, "It's really weird how boy dogs pee, isn't it?"

Time Away

2008-09-07T16:06:00.005-04:00

Lance and I leave early tomorrow morning for Refuge.

Soccer Season

2008-08-30T13:01:00.015-04:00

Rachel had her first game today. This girl is fast! She was all over the field.

Chloe's First Day

2008-08-27T17:01:00.009-04:00

School Days

2008-08-26T22:22:00.011-04:00

Today is the first day of school. Today is also the first day of a new stage of life for me. I have a 7th grader, a 5th grader, and a kindergartner this year. The girls are all in school now, and I am home without any kids during school days for the first time in over 12 years. It's been a great day so far. The girls were ready for school and I was, too.

So, what am I going to do now? I have plenty of things on my to do list that will keep me busy, lots of projects and things to catch up on. But, those can wait. Today I'm just going shopping. Alone. It will be strange not having my shopping buddy with me. But, it should take a lot less time.

My Thursday

2008-08-21T22:53:00.026-04:00

[The following took place on a Thursday, and should in no way be confused with the My Friday movement]

My day started with Kindergarten orientation with Chloe at 9:00. Hannah, Rachel, and a friend that stayed with us the night before accompanied us. Chloe met her teacher, checked out her class room, made a new friend, took a ride on a school bus, and loved every minute of it.

We got back home at 11:00 and Lance called soon after that. He was headed home from this year's Ride of Passage trip and needed to be picked up at the church in about 30 minutes. I headed to the church with all 4 girls, and helped Lance load up his gear. We picked up lunch around 12:45 at Chick-Fil-A and came home to eat.

At 2:00 Rachel and I headed back to the school for open house so that she could meet her 5th grade teacher and look around her class rooms. At 2:30, Rachel and I left the school, stopped by the house to pick up her violin and music, and took off for her 3:00 violin lesson.

We returned home at 4:00. At 4:30 Hannah's friend was picked up by her dad. At 5:00 I began making dinner for the kids (Mac and cheese and Chicken nuggets). At 5:30 another friend arrived to spend the night.

At 6:00 Lance and Rachel left for her soccer practice. I cleaned up from dinner and played outside with Chloe and her neighborhood friends until dark. After the practice Lance and Rachel picked up another friend that would also be spending the night. They got back to the house around 8:30. A little later, the 5 girls and I tried out a new recipe. After that I cleaned up the kitchen.

During the kitchen clean up I told Chloe to put on her pjs and snuggle with her dad for a little bit until I was finished. This is how I found her in the living room at around 10:30.

More Signs

2008-08-19T13:04:00.004-04:00

What?!?!

When we saw this last week we had to stop for a photo.

Camping at Codorus

2008-08-15T13:09:00.021-04:00

We took off for a few days of camping this week at Codorus. I'm glad we decided to squeeze this trip into our busy August schedule. It was relaxing and a lot of fun to be outdoors. The weather was beautiful and cool. Low temperatures were around 60 degrees and highs were around 80 . . . in August! Amazing. The camp fire felt great each night.

My Favorite Things About Camping

2008-08-14T13:58:00.007-04:00

1. Putting up the tent with Lance
2. Cooking outside on my camp stove
3. Camp fires every night
4. Setting up camp
5. The smell of breakfast cooking each morning
6. Hiking trails
7. No need for watches or alarm clocks
8. S'mores and Jiffy Pop
9. Riding bikes
10. Playing cards and board games
11. Sleeping in the tent (on my Aero bed)
12. Wildlife

August 10, 1991

2008-08-10T14:45:00.005-04:00

Today is my 17th wedding anniversary!

Some day I'll scan in a few wedding pictures for you all to enjoy. Our hair styles alone will be quite entertaining. I love my husband, and I love the 17 years of married life we have had together. I'm looking forward to many more.

We're leaving right now for a few days of camping. The family is loading up the car, so I've got to run!

Movie Night

2008-08-05T10:23:00.017-04:00

We try to have a family night at least once a week. Usually that means a fun meal together and some board games or Wii. But, sometimes I put a little more into it. Here we are enjoying a family movie night.

We made pizza for dinner. Then we headed down to the basement where I had set up a ticket booth and concession stand. The girls were surprised and had fun buying their tickets and snacks with Monopoly money before watching the show.

Baby Hopper

2008-08-04T18:20:00.009-04:00

Look what we found in our yard the other night. We called a local wildlife rescue to see if this little guy was too small to be put back in the woods on his own. We were told he was a "hopper" because his eyes were open and he was able to hop and explore, and we were advised to put him back in the woods. I was amazed at how he followed the girls. Every time they stepped away from him, he would hop after them. We enjoyed him for a little while then brought him to the woods behind our house and said goodbye.

Training Camp

2008-07-31T10:47:00.008-04:00

One cool thing about living in Westminster is that the Baltimore Ravens have their training camp here each summer on the McDaniel College Campus (about 2 miles from my neighborhood). We spent a morning out at the camp while my Mom was here last week.

Back from Barnabas

2008-07-30T19:37:00.002-04:00

Lance returned home today from 9 days at Camp Barnabas. He is tired, and sick. We are glad he's home. We missed him tons!

Adventures with Gigi

2008-07-29T18:01:00.014-04:00

The past week has been busy with my Mom here visiting us. We love to go, go, go and we always find plenty to do. We enjoyed having her here so much. I shed some tears on the way home from the airport today. I just wasn't ready for Mom to leave. We only get to see her twice a year, so we make the most of our time together. Here are a few photos of our adventures.

Reality Week Pics

2008-07-21T15:26:00.017-04:00

Where Has the Week Gone?

2008-07-18T08:19:00.005-04:00

I returned home from camp a week ago, exhausted but excited about what I had experienced. It was great to be at camp with middle school and high school students again. These kids are amazing, all of them. It was a privilege to get to know some of them better and to hear their stories.

Of course, I can't describe all that went on this year at camp, but I'll hit some highlights.

First, I've never seen a large group of students love each other like these kids do. From the oldest to the youngest, each one was taken in and made to feel a part of the family that is Underground Student Movement. We had several kids who are new to LifePoint on the trip and a few who have never attended a service or been to the Underground. These students were taken in by the group before the buses arrived at Millersville. It was also incredible to watch older students befriend and mentor younger ones.

Another highlight was having some of our good friends from Texas here for the week. Clay Walker spoke to the students Sunday morning at Elevate and Uprising, then each evening during the week. From hilarious stories to great truths and challenges, Clay was phenomenal.

Todd Wright and band played for our morning and evening services. I have known Todd and his family for years, and love to worship with him. He is an amazing song writer and musician. Please do yourself a favor and check out his new CD, All The Freed. Great stuff.

Forrest Layton, one of our former students, flew in from Nashville to play guitar with the band. I first met Forrest when he was in middle school. Throughout his high school years, Forrest played for our student ministry on Sunday mornings. This guy is super talented and fun to listen to.

One last highlight of the week had to be cornhole. We set up four cornhole games in a large commons room in the dorm and each night everyone gathered there. It was fun to stand on the balcony that stretched across the room and look down on everyone throwing some corn bags and interacting. It was also fun to stay up late and play after sending the kids to bed at midnight each night.

So, that was camp from my perspective this year. I'll post some photos later when I have time.

Reality Week 2008

2008-07-07T08:11:00.004-04:00

I'm headed to camp this week with the student ministry. Camp was once a part of my summer each year. Then Chloe came along and when she was an infant we moved across the country and away from our family. I haven't been to camp in 5 years now. Thanks to good friends Julie and Jodie who will be taking care of Rachel and Chloe, I'm going this year! I'm excited to be rooming with Rachel, it will be like old times.

Fun 4th

2008-07-06T16:13:00.009-04:00

We had a great time at the Blauwkamp/Oskam 4th of July party Friday. The rain didn't ruin the fun, and it stopped in time for us to enjoy the fireworks that night.

Life in Carroll County

2008-07-03T09:03:00.005-04:00

As the girls and I walked out to our car after doing some shopping, we heard someone yelling. It turns out it was just this guy, who was parked beside us.

A Day at the Beach

2008-06-27T08:02:00.023-04:00

Trip Pics

2008-06-26T08:11:00.012-04:00

Well, we've been home from Florida for almost a week. I had so many good post ideas running through my head during our trip. But, the reality is that traveling, spending time with family, and getting in plenty of time on the beach kept me busy and left me tired. For now, some photos of our travels and time in Panama City will have to do.

Some shots of the beautiful beaches along the Emerald Coast in Panama City.

The girls with my dad, with my brother, and one of all of us

Summer Begins

2008-06-11T07:22:00.006-04:00

The craziness of the last few days of the school year is finally over. The girls finished 4th and 6th grades yesterday. No sleeping in for them on their first day of summer this year. I have a 9:00 meeting at the church and then I am working afterwards. They'll come with me and hang out with some of their friends there.

Once Lance and I finish our work day, we are all loading up and heading to Florida. We'll be in Panama City with my dad for a week. We are looking forward to our time with him. We are also excited about the road trip. We'll be driving a route we've never taken before. It should be fun seeing some new places.

I hope to blog some while on the road.

Dinner

2008-06-09T22:14:00.005-04:00

Lance and I ate at the Olive Garden tonight. We only had to wait 30 minutes to get a table, which was great. Even on a Monday night at 7:30, it was packed. It's always packed. From the size of the crowds, you would think this was a brand new restaurant that just opened, but it has been here for years. People around here just can't get enough of the Olive Garden.

We were ready to order as soon as we got to our table. Lance was looking forward to having his favorite dish. I was thinking that I'd probably order the same. Then our waitress arrived and told us that they had no fresh tomatoes. What? We eat at Olive Garden once or twice a year and we decide to eat there the day they have all their tomatoes recalled. Of course, the dish we were both hoping for included fresh tomatoes.

I ended up with some really good fish and veggies. Lance had something that he didn't like so much. And the salad just wasn't the same without the tomatoes.

Upgrade

2008-06-09T15:03:00.011-04:00

Hannah is now officially a part of the middle school ministry at LifePoint. We had a blast yesterday at the Elevate Upgrade Party. It was a great way to welcome all the soon to be 7th graders into the group. What great kids. Thanks for a fun event, Jason. Here are some photos from our day at Adventure Park USA.

Wax Museum

2008-06-04T16:09:00.009-04:00

The 4th graders at Rachel's school researched and wrote a paper on the life of a historical figure. Today they dressed up as the character that they studied, and students, teachers and parents visited their wax museum. We walked around and listened as the characters came to life and shared their stories.

Rachel as Sacagewea with baby Pomp

Rachel with her best friend Caitlyn (Betsy Ross)

Something Wicked

2008-05-31T23:36:00.013-04:00

Friday night's episode of Dateline was entitled "Something Wicked." The show told the stories of 6 women who had all tried to hire hit men. We happened to turn on the TV just as the show was beginning and heard a familiar name and town being talked about.

We lived in Bridgeport, Texas (just north of Fort Worth) for three years, and Hannah was born while we were there.

After moving to Bridgeport I began working full time at a law office in town. I liked my job and the people I worked with. The attorney who hired me was Mike Simpson, his brother Ross, also an attorney, worked in the Bridgeport office of their firm as well. These are very wealthy men who chose to live in the Bridgeport because they liked small town life there. You would have never known by the look and size of our office on Main Street how high profile some of the cases handled there were.

Working with Mike and Ross was fun. They were kind and treated their employees well. I met their wives and children and saw them many times during the 2 years that I worked there.

Several years after moving away from Bridgeport we ran into Becky Simpson (Ross's wife) at a beach resort in south Texas. We chatted with her a couple of times during the week while we were there.

Imagine our surprise when a few years after seeing Becky at the beach we heard that she had tried to hire someone to kill a woman! The story got crazier as we learned that a former student in our youth ministry at FBC, Bridgeport was the one Becky had first approached about helping her get revenge on the woman. This student went to the authorities and helped set Becky up, but he is still a shady character in all of this.

After seeing the story on Dateline, I went online and read the whole story and details of the trial. Crazy!

Concert

2008-05-29T08:44:00.004-04:00

Rachel joined the school chorus and began playing the violin this year. Last night she sang and played in her first concert. She was great!

Music

2008-05-28T08:18:00.010-04:00

Hannah has been taking voice lessons for about 2 years now. Last night she sang in her third recital. She was terrific. And, so were the other students. These lessons and recitals have been a great experience for her. Here are a couple of photos from the evening.

And, here's Hannah playing in her middle school spring concert. She's wearing the white headband.

4 Days of Parties

2008-05-27T08:54:00.009-04:00

My weekend began with party #1, Hannah's slumber party, on Friday night. Her birthday is in April, a very busy month, so we waited until May to let her have a few friends over to celebrate. She and three of her best school friends enjoyed pizza, cookie cake, some late night swimming at the YMCA, and watching Enchanted.

I did some shopping with my girls Saturday afternoon, then we came home and planted some flowers in our front yard. I cleaned up and headed to church while Lance and the girls went to party #2 at our across the street neighbor's house. I checked kids in, played, sang, served snack, changed diapers, cleaned up, took out the trash, locked up the nursery and drove home to join my family. The party was still going when I arrived, and there was plenty of great food. We enjoyed the beautiful view and amazing sunset from the deck.

The girls had a friend come home with them from church Sunday, and she went with us to party #3. This one was a birthday party at our friends' house down the street for their 2 year old son. Again, lots of great food, beautiful weather, and great views from their deck. The girls' friend left later that night, we put Chloe to bed and the rest of us watched National Treasure 2. It was good, but I fell asleep during parts of it.

Monday morning I woke up and went for a nice long walk in my neighborhood. Later that morning Lance mowed the yard and power washed our house. I made some baked beans, then we loaded the car and took off to party #4. This one was at the Fullen's house. It was a fun evening outside with incredible food and friends, and of course, some cornhole. I found my camera in my purse and took a few pictures while we were there.

This weekend really has me ready for summer. Maybe it was all those great meals on the grill.

Only 8 more full days and 2 half days of school!

You're It

2008-05-22T16:16:00.008-04:00

I was tagged by my good friend Kristen in this question game, so here it goes:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read the player's blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answer.

What were you doing 5 years ago?

1. Getting used to life with 3 kids (7 years, 5 years, and 1 month old)
2. Finishing up some remodeling in our house
3. Attending Rachel's preschool graduation
4. Beginning my last summer of living in Lufkin, TX
5. Nursing Chloe on demand

What are 5 things on your to-do list today (not in any particular order)?

1. Finish painting upstairs - hallway and girls' bathroom (of course, this won't happen today)
2. Sew rod pockets in giant stage curtains for a wedding
3. Buy colored card stock and brads so Hannah can finish a school project
4. Fold and put away the laundry that is in the dryer
5. Buy flowers to put in a planter and a front flower bed

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

1. Pop Tarts and milk
2. Chips and hot sauce
3. Pepper Jack cheese with Keebler Club multigrain crackers
4. White cheddar Cheese Nips
5. Cherry Vanilla Diet Dr. Pepper

What 5 things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Go on amazing yearly vacations with my family and extended family
2. Visit my family in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida more often, and fly them up here often
3. Give millions to LifePoint, other ministries, and my friends and family
4. Work at LifePoint (or in some other ministry) for no pay
5. Drive both a brand new Honda Odyssey and a Honda Pilot

What are 5 of your bad habits?

1. Leaving my ironing board out in my bedroom and using it as a shelf
2. Checking my email too many times each day
3. Procrastinating
4. Over eating
5. Under exercising

What are 5 jobs you have had?

1. Regonal Diagnostic Imaging Center - Radiology Clinic
2. Admissions Office at ETBU
3. Substitute teacher
4. Legal Assistant
5. Nursery Director

What are 5 places you have lived?

1. New Orleans, LA
2. Bossier City, LA
3. Bridgeport, TX
4. Lufkin, TX
5. Westminster, MD

What 5 people do you want to tag?

1. Jodie
2. Kelsey
3. Jen
4. Julie
5. Kathi

Haircut

2008-05-17T13:42:00.005-04:00

Chloe got a haircut yesterday, and now she has bangs! She loves her new look, but was worried that her bangs were gone last night when they were brushed over to the side. She also woke up this morning and asked if her bangs were still there.

Rachel thinks that Chloe looks just like Hannah with her new look. Here are photos of Chloe with her new do and Hannah (at age 3 or 4) with a similar haircut.

My 5 Year Old

2008-05-16T14:25:00.005-04:00

I had the following conversation with Chloe over lunch.

Chloe - "I can't wait until I'm 15."
Me - "Really. Why?"
Chloe - "I want to have a baby."
Me - "You're going to be a great mom . . . someday."

I'm glad that Lance was home to hear that one.

Mom's Salary

2008-05-09T10:37:00.010-04:00

This is for all of you hard working moms. No surprise that so much is overtime pay. What do you think?

Boomshine

2008-05-06T14:36:00.009-04:00

This is a favorite time waster at my house. Pretty colors, relaxing music. It's addictive. Enjoy!

Weekend 180 - Becoming

2008-04-30T14:50:00.030-04:00

Weekend 180 was an amazing time again this year. Even more amazing for us because it was Hannah's first student ministry event. It was a great event for the incoming 6th graders to take part in. They'll be moving into the Underground Student Movement this summer. Hannah is ready!

Lance doing one of the things he does best

Ross King and band

Ross rocks the Underground

Hannah and friends

Hannah's group takes the stage to share their Big Live

Todd Wright - singer-song writer-speaker extraordinaire (and funniest man in the world)

Party Pics

2008-04-28T11:26:00.010-04:00

We had a party at McDonald's for Chloe's 5th birthday. It was the best of both worlds - the kids had a blast, and I didn't have to entertain a dozen 4 and 5 year olds at my house.

We were told that Chloe's Ronald McDonald birthday cake was put into the refrigerator upside down by an employee, so the picture on it was messed up. Oh well, our nice party lady didn't charge us for the cake, and she even found a plastic Ronald figurine to stick on it! You gotta love the Taneytown McDonald's.

Friday Fun

2008-04-25T13:14:00.006-04:00

I am headed up to PA for the weekend with my good friend Julie. She is speaking at a women's retreat for her former church, and I am tagging along for moral (and prayer) support. It should be a fun weekend to get away, spend time with a friend, and meet some new people.

I ran by the Westminster Wal-Mart this morning after dropping the girls off at school. I have been avoiding that place for the last couple of weeks because of the complete remodel going on inside and outside the store. Honestly, this is one of the nastiest Wal-Mart stores I have ever been in, so I am glad for the face lift. When I walked in today, I was thrilled to see that there were all new shopping carts in the store and they were large! One of the worst things about my local Wal-Mart has been the mini carts that they provide. I can put Chloe in one along with a 12 pack of Charmin double rolls and that thing is full. I don't get it. The senior adult employee that helped me get my cart this morning just didn't understand my excitement over this change.

Well, I'm off to grab my bags and kiss my husband goodbye. Happy Friday!

12 Years Old

2008-04-23T22:54:00.018-04:00

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

This has been a big year for my first born. And, she has risen to the occasion. I am so proud of her.

Hannah began 6th grade last fall and has had a great first year of middle school. Just the other day she said, "I don't want 6th grade to be over, it's been so great!"

Hannah loves life and sees challenges as adventures. She loves to learn and consumes books at an incredible rate. She goes against the flow and is not afraid to be different. She is creative, she's a gifted writer, and she has a great sense of humor.

Last weekend, Hannah attended her first Student Ministry event. This was a big moment in the life of our family. For years we've thought about and wondered what it would be like to have one of our own kids in the student ministry that Lance leads. That time is here! Hannah loved every minute of Weekend 180. And, she brought an unchurched friend to the event with her. She really has a heart for this friend and others. She is loyal and befriends and stands up for kids at school who need a friend.

I love the person that Hannah is becoming in Christ. I can't wait to see what He has in store for her this year.

BreakAway Boot Camp

2008-04-12T22:58:00.011-04:00

Rachel had a blast at her first over night church event this weekend. She rode the giant swing at RVR and told us, "It was terrifying and I loved it!"

Thanks Jen and the BA team for putting together such a great event.

She's Five

2008-04-11T14:56:00.015-04:00

Chloe's 5th birthday was on Tuesday, April 8.

We had a great day celebrating her life.

Her dinner choice was pizza.

She loved all her gifts.

She requested yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting and a capital and lower case letter "C" on each one.

It's The Little Things

2008-04-07T15:05:00.010-04:00

My day started out with a dental appointment, just a regular check up and cleaning. I have always enjoyed going to the dentist. I love the feeling of newly polished teeth. Today's appointment was just for me, so that was fun. I am usually bringing all 3 kids in for their check ups, too. After the appointment I did some shopping.

On my 20 minute trip home I realized what a relaxing time I was having driving all by myself. I was listening to my choice of radio station, and singing along with Elton John, uninterrupted. Going anywhere alone is rare for me right now. And when I get to, I enjoy it a lot. It doesn't matter where I'm going or what I'm doing, but alone time in the car is good for me.

By the time I got home, I felt refreshed. If going to the dentist, Wal-Mart, and driving a car alone makes my day, I guess I need to get a life.

April 1, 1988

2008-04-01T15:11:00.013-04:00

Twenty years ago today, Lance and I went out on our first date. I was 16 and a junior in high school. He was 20. I met him in January at a youth event at my church. I was attending the event, Lance was leading one of the middle school groups. When he called a couple of months later to ask me out I said, "I'll ask my Mom." Mom said yes, and the rest is history.

The night we went out was not only April Fool's Day, but also Good Friday. I spent the night before the date with Ericka (my best high school friend) and tried on just about everything in both of our closets as she helped me decide what I would wear. It was an hour drive (from Longview, TX to Bossier City, LA) for Lance to get to my house. He showed up for the date with roses for me and also flowers for my mom - very smart! The weather was terrible that night, the area was under a tornado warning. We had dinner at Ralph and Kacoos, then rented Roxanne and went back to my house to watch it.

It was a great first date. In fact, he called me the next day and drove back over that afternoon for our second date!

Ancient Cultures

2008-03-13T16:02:00.008-04:00

Hannah's latest field trip was to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia. Lance went with her on this one and they had a great time. He was thankful to be on a charter bus and not one of these.

Art

2008-03-11T09:39:00.003-04:00

Rachel's quilling project was chosen to be on display at the Carroll Arts Center for youth art month. We attended the reception for the participants last week. Here she is with her artwork.

Smokey

2008-03-07T08:51:00.008-05:00

I got into Lance's car this morning to take Rachel to school and immediately noticed that it smelled all smokey, like cigarettes. We don't smoke, so this was strange.

I am the kind of person who has to know the story behind everything, and if there is no obvious explanation available, I will come up with what I think probably happened. So, my mind began working as I drove to school. The best reason for the smell that I could come up with was that maybe Lance had picked up a smoking hitchhiker or someone who needed help on his way home from work the night before. (If you know Lance, you know that this is a possibility).

After leaving for work this morning, Lance came back into the house to say his car was all smokey. I told him my theory. I was wrong. His car was left unlocked and parked on the street in front of our house last night. I wonder who used it to get their nicotine fix?

Two Great Meals, Two Fun Nights

2008-02-12T13:48:00.017-05:00

Over the past two weekends I have been able to dine at two new (to me) restaurants. These restaurants are at opposite ends of the spectrum on atmosphere, price, and just about everything else. But, I enjoyed great meals and conversation at both places. I am no food critic, but if you're interested in my opinion, read on.

Pazo, Baltimore, MD - Lance and I experienced Pazo on a Friday night with Ross and Julie. They love this place, and now we do too. Pazo is a tapas restaurant featuring Mediterranean cuisine. Tapas means small plate. The plates may be small, but they just keep coming, and each is filled with unbelievable food. Pazo is pretty pricey, but we saved a little money on the bill by taking advantage of Baltimore Restaurant Week. Because we had four in our party, it worked out for us to order each item on the restaurant week menu and taste many different dishes. It was all around amazing. Lance loves bread, and the "rustic bread of purgatory" did not disappoint. Definitely some of the best food I have ever eaten, at one of the coolest locations.

Mari Luna, Pikesville, MD - If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know of my love for Mexican food and my search for good Mexican restaurants in Maryland. Jason and Rachel found this restaurant a while back and recommended it. I finally got to try it on a girls' night out with Rachel last Friday. I ordered a favorite of mine, cheese enchiladas, and they were great. And, if the enchilada dinner is that good, I think the other menu options must be good as well. Usually Mexican restaurants don't put too much into food presentation, but Mari Luna does. You can't do a whole lot with enchiladas, but I saw some plates that were very impressive. I'm looking forward to eating here again soon with Lance. This is by far the best Mexican food I have eaten in Maryland.

Last Comedy Update

2008-02-08T13:11:00.001-05:00

Lance didn't get a call back, but he had a great time yesterday. I now have a little more info on how NBC did the auditions.

The "known comics," (those who have performed at Gotham or other big clubs) were given a time to audition, they didn't have to wait in line to try to make it through the first cut. These are the people that will most likely go right on to the next phase of the competition. By the time Lance's group got in, there wasn't even much serious consideration going on, if any. They had already met their quota from the day's auditions. Lance went on in a group of 6, and they waited to be pointed at in random order to speak. He says that a production assistant was doing the pointing and he didn't even let them finish a joke before he pointed at someone else.

Lance did get to meet a few stars like Bill Bellamy and a guy from The Sopranos, and another one or two that I don't remember. He also met a professional comic who is blind and Lance helped him get around during his audition. He got to hang out in Time's Square for the day. He got to see how shows like this are made. And, he may be seen on tv for a few seconds when the New York audition episode is aired. All in all a great experience. I'm glad he tried it.

Comedy Update

2008-02-07T18:27:00.002-05:00

Lance is now headed home, and should be here in a few hours [see previous post]. I have a million questions about how this whole audition process works and what his day was like. He is not much of a phone talker and is exhausted, so my curiosity will have to wait. For now I'll give you the condensed version I got during our last conversation.

Over 300 people showed up to the audition today. It was a very long day of waiting around to get your time before the "judges" (I don't know what these people are called). He thinks he did well, but does not expect a call back. They were told that those called back would need to be there tomorrow for a 2nd audition.

Comedy

2008-02-07T08:00:00.003-05:00

Right now Lance is waiting in line at Gotham Comedy Club in New York City to try out for Last Comic Standing. He is number 208. And, he just told a joke on a radio show doing a broadcast there.

I'll update more later.

Super Bowl

2008-02-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

We enjoyed watching the Super Bowl at our house this year with a few friends. This may seem like a lame party to you, but for me it was a first, and it was perfect.

Lance has worked in student ministry for 20 years now. He has spent the last 17 years hosting Super Bowl parties at churches for students.

These parties have been great fun, and I have attended almost every one. But, this year I actually got to sit on my couch next to Lance and watch the game. It was a great game and a great, relaxing time for both of us.

Dreams

2008-01-30T08:26:00.001-05:00

I can always count on Chloe for some blogging material.

Last night as I was leaving her room after stories and prayers Chloe asked me if I had dreams. I said, "Yes." She looked at me funny, so I said, "The kind you have when you are sleeping?" She said, "No, the kind you have when you're awake." She then said, "You know how I wanted to be a fisherman when I grow up? Well, now I just want to be a plain old Momma with babies."

Neglect

2008-01-28T20:20:00.001-05:00

Well, I've neglected my blog for a while now. The reasons for this are:

1) I've had nothing to write

2) I started a Facebook account

I still love my blog. I'll be back. I just need some stories or inspiration. And, I need Facebook to be a little less addictive.

Good Day

2008-01-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

This view from my kitchen window

plus . . .

A pot of soup simmering on my stove all afternoon

plus . . .

My girls getting out of school 2 hours early

equals . . .

one very good day.

Pizza

2008-01-14T19:09:00.000-05:00

We ordered the new $5.00 Pizza Mia pizzas from Pizza Hut yesterday. They advertise that these are "specially prepared with rich whole milk mozzarella, old world sauce from vine-ripened California tomatoes, fine white great plains flour, and other wholesome ingredients."

They tasted all right. But, I like regular Pizza Hut pizza much better. So, why do I have to order these special, better pizzas to get a good price? Why are these better ingredients cheaper? Why can't they just sell me a regular old Pizza Hut thin crust pizza for $5.00?

What Are You Watching?

2008-01-11T18:05:00.000-05:00

Here's what I have scheduled to record on my DVR:

The Office
Lost (just waiting until it's back in February)
Ace of Cakes
Celebrity Apprentice
Life
The Cosby Show
Unwrapped
Little House on the Prairie

Now it's your turn. What are you watching? What's on your DVR or Tivo? Give us your list.

Cruella

2008-01-10T09:03:00.002-05:00

We heard Chloe singing this song last night in the bath tub. But, her version went like this:

"Umbrella de Vil, Umbrella de Vil . . . Umbrella, Umbrella de Vil"

Me Gusta Tex-Mex

2008-01-09T10:57:00.001-05:00

I love me some Mexican food! More accurately, I love Tex-Mex. Lance and I are always looking for good Mexican restaurants. There aren't very many in Maryland. That's one thing we miss about Texas and something we enjoy when we travel back home. During our Christmas vacation we ate at 3 Mexican restaurants, 2 are old favorites of ours and 1 was new to us. All were great.

Lance and I are also always looking for great hot sauce. (It's called hot sauce where I'm from, aka salsa). I was pleasantly surprised this week when I walked into my local Food Lion and found these:

We really like the Triple Pepper Salsa and the Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso. I've tried many brands and flavors and been disappointed, but I think I might have found the best store bought hot sauce and queso that I've had. I'll keep looking, but for now I'll be buying more of these new products from Pace.

Only at Wal-Mart

2008-01-07T22:27:00.000-05:00

I turned down an aisle at Wal-Mart the other day and my path was blocked by a family with a skunk. I think I said "Wow!" when I noticed the animal. The family proceeded to turn toward me and the lady brought the skunk closer. She assumed that I wanted a better look at the thing. It was brown and white, not black and white, so I verified that it was indeed a skunk. I was completely stuck on the aisle with this family and they weren't moving anywhere but closer to me. So, I asked if skunks made good pets. I was told that they made great pets and that this skunk was a year old and slept with the woman holding it every night. She continued to hold the skunk near me, and told me that it wouldn't bite. I didn't know what to do but pet it. So, I did and then they moved aside so that I could get to the light bulbs I needed and continue my shopping.

I am convinced that the above would only happen at Wal-Mart. Never at Target. Two completely different clienteles. But, that's a whole other post.

On a side note, my kids are crazy about animals. I went to the web to find a picture of a skunk like the one I saw to show them. There I found out that pet skunks are illegal in 30 states, including Maryland. Hmmmm.

Amazing

2008-01-03T20:16:00.001-05:00

This is one crazy story. Can you believe it?

I'm Back!

2008-01-03T16:41:00.001-05:00

Actually, we got back home to Maryland on New Year's Eve, but I'm just now getting back to the blog.

The quick run down of our trip is as follows:

16 days
9 states
3,153 miles
lots of family and friends
lots of fun

I will probably post more details later along with pictures. Things have been non stop since our return.

Happy New Year!

Another Christmas Memory

2007-12-15T10:44:00.001-05:00

Last year I shared this Christmas memory. Here is another one of my favorites. . .

One December night in 2004, our first Christmas in Maryland, we heard sirens blaring and saw lights flashing in our neighborhood. I went out to see what was happening. To my surprise, I saw a procession of firefighters walking down the street as a fire truck escorted by other rescue vehicles, all with lights and sirens ablaze, made their way through our neighborhood. On top of the fire truck, spotlighted for all to see, sat Santa. This was too cool. I ran back into the house yelling for everyone to come and see. I found Rachel and Chloe and dragged them out of the house. Hannah was upstairs in the shower at the time, so Lance ran up to the bathroom, wrapped a towel around her, grabbed her, and ran toward the closest window. He opened the blinds and they watched as the parade of people and vehicles passed our house.

After the excitement was over, Lance looked down at Hannah and noticed her pale face and shocked expression. She had no clue what was going on, but heard the sirens as Lance pulled her out of the shower. She thought that our house was on fire because he was running with her to the window. Hannah was just waiting for her dad to open the window so that they could jump to safety.

Party Time

2007-12-13T22:04:00.000-05:00

Birthday parties are great fun. They are also a lot of work and super expensive. When we made the move to Maryland 4 years ago, instead of having big parties every year for the girls, we decided to begin having birthday parties for them every other year. On the non-party birthdays we still do special things with our family and sometimes a few close friends. We still make a really big deal out of celebrating the special day.

I am loving the every other year party thing. And, I must give some credit to my friend Suzie. She does parties for her 6 kids every other year, too. And talking to her helped me decide to make this change. I mean, come on, there is great pressure to have a big blowout every year. I am glad to have freed myself up from this. I think my kids still have a chance at becoming normal, well adjusted adults someday even though they only had birthday parties every other year.

Well, this year Rachel's birthday was Thanksgiving week. It was her 10th, double digits, a big deal. So, we celebrated her all day (really all week) long. It was also a party year for her. Here are a few photos from the big day that I am finally getting around to posting.

Winter Weather, Part 2

2007-12-07T14:38:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos to go with the previous post.

Winter Weather

2007-12-05T12:30:00.000-05:00

I spent the first 32 years of my life in Louisiana and Texas, so maybe that makes me appreciate the winter weather here in Maryland a little more. Maybe after living here for only 4 years, I just haven't gotten used to it yet. I don't know, but I don't think I could ever grow tired of snow.

I was so excited Monday to see the first snow flurries and flakes of the season swirling around outside. Well, it has been snowing here since early this morning today, and it is beautiful. I love the snow. I love snow days. Chloe and I have been home today. I thought it would be a great day to get some of the many things that I need to do done at the house. But, I should have known, most of my day has been spent just staring out of the windows watching the snow blanket my yard. I always find it difficult to get much done when snow is falling. I find myself being drawn to the windows again and again.

In honor of the first snow of the season, here are some of my favorite things about snow/snow days:

school cancellations
sledding down the hills in our neighborhood
building snowmen and snow forts
looking out of my windows at the snow covered trees in the woods behind my house
cooking large pots of soup and chili
shoveling my driveway and sidewalks
seeing those giant piles of snow the plows leave in parking lots that last for weeks and weeks
hot chocolate and popcorn
staying in my pj's all day
the silence that everything being covered in snow brings
how bright everything looks outside at night when the moon shines on the snow

Schools are closing 2 hours early today. Rachel just got home and Hannah will be here soon. I'm going to get the hot chocolate ready.

Just Another Sunday Together at LifePoint

2007-12-02T17:01:00.000-05:00

Here it is. The finale from Children's/Student Ministry Weekend Services at Lifepoint, May 2007.

Holiday Update

2007-11-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving week. I love having my girls home from school. Here is a recap along with some photos:

Went to see Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and Enchanted at the movievater. (This is what Chloe calls the movie theater.) Mr. Magorium's was not so great, but we all loved Enchanted.
Celebrated Rachel's 10th birthday on the 19th. She had her favorite breakfast foods (chocolate chip pancakes and breakfast burritos), opened her presents, played with her sisters, and chose to eat at Bob Evan's that night for dinner.
Got the great news that a test my Mom had done last week at the hospital showed no major problems.
Snuggled up in the bed together and watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Spent Thanksgiving Day with good friends, ate a lot and watched the Cowboys win again.
Stayed up late playing Mexican Train (dominoes) with Hannah and Rachel.
Went swimming at the Y a couple of times.
Went shopping at Pet's Mart with our dog, Annie.
Went to see the Westminster Christmas Parade on Main Street. It was cold, but fun.
Took Chloe to the birthday parties of two of her favorite 4 year old boys. One she calls "my best boy, Tyler," and the other she calls "my prince, Elijah."

Turkey Day Test

2007-11-20T12:25:00.001-05:00

Thanks for this one, Jen. I am mashed potatos. What are you?

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Ordinary, comforting, and more than a little predictable.
You're the glue that holds everyone together.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Rachel's 10th Birthday

2007-11-19T22:06:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos from our day. I will write more later, just want to get these pictures up for grandparents to see tonight.

Quarter Quiz

2007-11-16T09:37:00.001-05:00

This is a fun little test that my Mom sent me. I scored an 18 out of 20. My girls have been collecting each of these quarters as they come out, so maybe that helped.

Do you know what's on your change? Find out here.

Game Day

2007-11-11T19:30:00.000-05:00

Another win for the Cowboys today! 8-1, what a season so far.

Lance spent the day at the game in New York with friends tailgating and watching the Cowboys win again. He's on his way home now, and has had a great day.

More 4 Year Old Wisdom

2007-11-10T09:31:00.000-05:00

We had a dry summer here in Maryland and were having a dry fall. I mean, hardly any rain at all for weeks on end. In October, for the first time in a long time, it really rained. Chloe and I were looking out at the rain, talking about God giving us rain and how much the rain was needed. She looked at me with big round eyes and said, "We do need rain, because I heard there was almost a shrought."

Chloe got this little notebook in a bag of party favors. She brought it home, asked her sisters how to write Chloe's Diary, and spent about 10 minutes carefully titling her notebook with a marker. She likes to open her "diary" and practice writing letters and numbers on it's pages. The "diary" went missing somewhere in our house. Chloe sat on the couch the other day and found it behind a cushion. She was so excited, as she came running to me I heard her shout, "Mom, I found my diarrhea."

Chloe likes to help me find a parking spot when we go places. She didn't understand why we were passing up so many available open spots every time we went shopping. So, a while back I showed her the handicapped spaces, the signs, the stick figures in wheelchairs painted on the pavement, and explained what this meant, and why we didn't park there. This week as we walked into Wal-Mart, Chloe said, "Look, they're in the handicapped parking, they must use a wheelbarrow."

Happy Halloween

2007-11-03T14:20:00.000-04:00

Halloween night was fun in our neighborhood again this year. Hannah and Rachel came home with unbelievable amounts of candy as usual. They have a tradition of trick or treating every house in the neighborhood, so we did. Chloe went out with us for a while, but really had more fun at the house with Lance giving out candy.

Happy Birthday to You

2007-11-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

Lance's 40th birthday was Monday, October 29. He was home all day, so that made the surprise gathering I had planned for that night a little bit difficult. He was able to get some much needed rest all morning (after a couple of busy work weeks, including an ALG retreat and The Hunt). That afternoon the girls and I gave him our presents and later we went out to dinner.

By the time we got back to our house, he had an idea that something might be going on. But, he says he wasn't sure. Anyway, there was no way to tell that our house was filled with about 25 friends until the door was opened. We ended the day with some great people, Lance's favorite party foods (these include: poppy seed cake, Little Smokies, salsa, queso, Tostitos, and Fritos) and an incredible birthday cake.

The Hunt 3: Dr. Z's Final Move

2007-10-31T10:08:00.000-04:00

Agents of the UGR gathered at headquarters Sunday afternoon for information on a new plan to stop Dr. Z and his G.O.F.E.R. (Global Offensive for Evil's Renaissance) forces once and for all. The Duke arrived via helicopter just in time to rally the agents. Next, Earl von Strausenberg laid out the plan, Operation Check Mate.

During von Strausenberg's presentation Dr. Z broke in with a video feed showing his latest destruction. His goons had been busy kidnapping the wives of the staff and elders of LifePoint Church. The footage of these abductions only fueled the fire in each agent present and made them all more determined to put an end to Dr. Z. Agent Lurch regained control of the room, reminding the agents that his wife was there with them and had not been taken. At that very moment, two G.O.F.E.R. goons burst into the room. Surprising all those present, they grabbed Lurch's wife and dragged her away.

The agents quickly received their final orders and sprang into action to locate the wives and bring down Dr. Z.

Thanks to the hard work of many UGR agents and undercover field agents, the wives were rescued and Dr. Z was once again captured. Agent XYZ, The White Knight, escorted Dr. Z back to UGR headquarters. While waiting to be transported back to Blackheart Island, Dr. Z made a daring escape in the helicopter and flew away into the night.

We soon heard from Dr. Z again through video and watched as he celebrated yet another escape. Little did Z know that The Duke was there waiting, poised and ready to pull the trigger. His celebration turned into maniacal laughter and we watched as Z choked to death on a hot dog. The Duke confirmed his death and agents of the UGR returned home to their families, no longer worried with the looming chaos of Dr. Z and G.O.F.E.R.

Fall Fun

2007-10-24T18:43:00.000-04:00

We are enjoying the fall and all the activities that come with it.

We spent Sunday afternoon at Baugher's. We took a hayride out to the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, enjoyed some Baugher's apple cider, and spent some time with the farm animals in the petting zoo. Next we went to Hoffman's for a treat. I tried their pumpkin ice cream and it was great.

We also went to the fall fest at Rachel's elementary school last week.

Dolphins, and Turtles, and Sharks . . . Oh My!

2007-10-21T17:57:00.000-04:00

I spent a day with Hannah last week on a field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

We enjoyed the dolphin show and the new Australia exhibit.

But, I think that Hannah's favorite thing about the day was the slime she bought in the gift store.

4 Year Old Wisdom

2007-10-20T09:34:00.000-04:00

Chloe told Lance yesterday that "diarrhea is when your poop is melted."

Out of Control

2007-10-19T14:02:00.000-04:00

Our power was out for a couple of hours yesterday morning. I had to keep telling Chloe that we couldn't do certain things because there was no electricity. It was fun explaining that to her and answering her questions.

Our microwave has been acting strange for a few days. Today it won't work at all. Chloe heard me say that it wasn't working and asked me if "our house had gone out of control again". She was referring to the two hours without power.

I feel that to some degree our house is always out of control. Especially without a working microwave. I just made lunch using the stove top and oven to heat up ravioli, chicken noodle soup, and left over pizza. Weird. I bet we make an appliance purchase today.

Here It Goes Again . . . and Again

2007-10-11T19:51:00.000-04:00

This is the first video I have posted on my blog. And, what better to start with than this one? Lance, Jason, Jeff, and Ben did an incredible job on the treadmills. You may have seen it on Lance's blog, but this is a better quality version. Enjoy!

Year of the Dog

2007-10-04T09:48:00.001-04:00

I had Chinese food today for lunch and brought a fortune cookie home for Rachel. She loves them. I left the cookie in my purse, and sat my purse on the floor when I got home. We came in from playing outside tonight and saw the empty cookie wrapper lying near my purse. Annie (our dog) had found a little snack. The slip of paper with the "fortune" on it was on the floor beside the wrapper. Rachel asked, "So, what's Annie's fortune?"

I picked up the paper and read this:

"Today it's okay to make a few choices by going with your instincts."

Retreat

2007-09-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

I spent the weekend at LifePoint's annual women's retreat. It was fun to get away and spend time with friends. The location was the same as last year, so that meant great accomodations and lots of good food. Not a lot of sleep. I am tired.

Great Stuff

2007-09-20T15:07:00.000-04:00

It was such a privilege to have Ross King here with us for a few days this week. I have enjoyed his music for years and have been inspired and challenged by his words. So, it was an honor to be able to sit and listen to him speak and sing for a group of our friends and us right here in my living room. He also played one night in the Underground at LifePoint. He is currently traveling and playing house shows and concerts, just him with a percussionist. If you don't yet have a copy of his new CD, you should make a purchase. The lyrics are challenging and thought provoking. The sound is terrific. This is really great stuff!

The 2nd Century

2007-09-09T15:55:00.000-04:00

My husband is amazing! Yesterday he finished his second century. 105 miles on his road bike over hills and mountains in about 8 hours. The Civil War Century is not an easy ride. High temperatures made it tougher this year. But, he did it again!

Soccer

2007-09-01T13:26:00.000-04:00

Rachel had her first game today. They won 2 - 1. Go Revolution!