Spring of 2010.

Time is marching on and it is interesting to see how things develop and grow. We have recently, within the last year, see our family grow in size with the birth of Carrington and the marriage of Leah to Presley. I am still employed and Jim is working part-time. Hooray for paychecks.
I get to see some of my grandchildren more often now that they live about two hours away. I have seen my youngest child graduate from high school. She is thinking about moving out of state. I have recently been in the play "The Miracle Worker" and got to be a crazy old crone. That was fun. And I got to watch my daughter, Lindsey, in her most challenging role thus far as Helen Keller. It was amazing to what the character of Helen evolve. My dad had heart surgery this year and is doing remarkable well.

I am glad for the good life I have been blessed to have. I am grateful for a wonderful husband who is my eternal companion. I am proud of my children. They are thinkers, participators, and just good people. I love my grandchildren dearly. What a blessing they are in my life. I just wish they could live closer to Jim and me. (Next door or down the street would be fine.) I am grateful for my love of Jesus Christ and the things He has done and still does in my behalf. Ah........life is good.

My dad with Michael, Colin, Kyrie, & Elise

Well, after seeing the update from my daughter, Rachel, I figured I was long overdue to give an update as well. I am delighted to have part of the kids (and especially the grandkids) so much closer. They are a joy. Rachel and her family moved back to Texas and are only a couple of hours from us.

Courtney & Tyler are expecting baby #5, who is another girl. That will make 4 girls and one boy.

Andrea and family have moved to Nashville, TN and are moving into a new home they just bought.

Brian is back in the military. He is a Capt. in the Air Force and it stationed in Florida.

Adam is in Iraq, but will return to Alaska and to his wife, Christina, in September. Then he will change duty stations at the first of the year. Hooray, he will be closer to home too.

Leah is working at nursing home handling their medical records. She is still in Utah.

Lindsey just graduated from high school. I don't know who was more excited about that, her or me.

Jim has a part in the Playhouse 2000 production "1776". It is his most challenging role thus far. He not only has more lines but he will sing and dance in this one. Performances will be in July.

I am learning how to spin wool into yarn. It is something that I have always wanted to learn. I recently received a spinning wheel. After Jim did some creative handiwork to it, I have been able to use it. I don't get as much time with it as I would like, but at least I have started. I have also been knitting a lot. I know so many people that have had, or are going to have babies. Each one has gotten a knit hat.

This should be the latest news. I figured I wouldn't voice my opinion on this blog. I will save it for a future date. I bet you can hardly wait! ha, ha, ha.

Here is the game.

What Have You Done?To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog and bold all of the things you have done. It's kind of fun!!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a homerun
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone skydiving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

Anticipation

Time is said to be going so fast, but lately it seems to be dragging. That is probably because I am so lonesome for my children and grandchildren. I guess the reason it is dragging is because at least some of my family and friends are getting to come here during August. I can hardly wait!! The only 2 drawbacks I see about the whole thing is that only part of my kids and grandkids will be here, and I have to work part of the time while they are here. (Jobs sure do get in the way of things that are truly important) I am glad though for the time we will get. I am glad Jim and Lindsey will have time with them. I am also glad that Jim and Lindsey will be in a play while they are here, and it is a play the grandkids should love. (Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) My family, my faith, and my friends are the most important things in the world to me. I wish there was a way to gather all of the family closer and enjoy each other more often.

Plays and Pet Peeves

Jessica, Austin, me, and Jake in "Singin' in the Rain"


Me as "Dora Bailey" in "Singin' in the Rain"


Lindsey as a Coconut Grove girl in "Singin' in the Rain"

Ok, here is an update. Besides sharing a few pictures I am also posting a recent pet peeve.

Lindsey and I just completed doing the stage production of “Singin’ In the Rain”. It was really a fun and an excellent show. We had 11 performances and 11 standing ovations. My cousin’s husband who has seen 6 Broadway shows said it would match anything he has seen there. We were fortunate enough to have Austin Owen come and do the leading role of Don Lockwood. Austin just complete a two-year run of “The Producers” with a Broadway touring company. He is so much fun to be with on stage. It is exciting to have a theater group that promotes families performing together. Lindsey and her dad are currently in rehearsals for “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. I hope you enjoy some of our pictures of the show.

Now, about my most recent pet peeve. Over the last couple of years it seems like there has been a dramatic increase of dim wits in the workforce. Let me give you an example; I was at Sonic ordering drinks to take back to my job. There were 4 cups. I told them I needed them in a cup holder. (I was alone in the car- a cup holder would be helpful-right?) The girl comes out with 2 cups in a cup holder and 2 cups not in a holder. She said they didn’t have any 4-cup holders. I wonder why she didn’t give me them in two of the 2-cup holders…..duh. Hence, I still have two individual cups to keep upright while traveling back to work. I didn’t figure it was worth the effort or the time to get a second cup holder from her.

Next, it is July in Texas. Recently our family decided we where in the mood for milk shakes or the like. We decided to go to Dairy Queen. We order Blizzards or at least tried to. Their ice cream machine was broke or at least they think it was. Ok. We decided we would just go down the street to Jack-in-the-Box and get milk shakes. We get there and they had FORGOTTEN to fill the milk shake machine so there weren’t any milk shakes. No ice cream that night! GRRRR.

Two days later, after play rehearsal, we again thought we would try the ice cream thing. All we wanted was two ice cream cones. This time we try McDonald’s--guess what—you got it-- NO ICE CREAM!! What is with this!!

Also workers now a days don’t know how to count back change. Don’t even try to give them the odd cents need for a transaction after they have entered the amount in the computer – they can’t compute how much to give you back.

So many people can’t seem to think through something and come up with a simple solution. I AM SOOOOOOOOO PROUD OF MY CHILDREN. THEY ARE THINKERS AND PROBLEM SOLVERS. I not sure where so many of these dim wits come from but there are a huge number of them out there.

So I am not very good at this.

Ok, my daughter, Courtney, wanted to know why I haven't posted anything since I started this blog. I guess I am just lazy or tired or forget or probably think no one is going to read it anyway. I guess they will have to keep nagging me so I will maybe get better at this.

Jim is still on a trip with his brother and sister-in-law. He is not usually gone from home like this and I think he is missing us. He has had fun and learned a lot, but I think he is ready to come home. He should be here Tuesday.

We start play rehearsals for Singin' In the Rain this week. I find out tomorrow what part I have. It should be a really good show.

Time to get some studying done. And I am about to finish my Bling water bottle holders. They will be going to girls camp. Our girls are from the Kingdom of Bling. Maybe I can get a picture of them and post it so you can see.