The Sweetest Thing I've Ever Received in the Mail

My 28th...

For my birthday we went to Outback! It was so much fun!! Here are some random photos from the 'event'... hahaha

My coworker Katie was there with her family celebrating her birthday (it was the 23rd) so she came and said hi! I had her wear the traditional birthday tiara =o)

The Trio...

RubyRed and RachelBaby

I think Ali-gato actually got a salad... but it looks like she got a bowl of meat!

I stuck with the Atlantic Salmon...

...it went well with my Wallaby Darned!

Patty wouldn't get in the group shot, even thought I was pointing at her to get her over!

But here she is anyway with Robbie and Ali-gato!!

Rachel and I went to the Gym yesterday

and I had this great realization. It was the last time I would see this

while setting up the elliptical... I know it's not shocking or anything, but it made me realize that from today on it'll say 28...

Neighbors

There's no reasoning behind it, but for some reason today I got to thinking about our neighbors when I was growing up. They were the neighbors to our left if you were facing our house in Westchester (where I lived for 19 years).For some reason today... well, lately... I've been feeling quite nostalgic. There is no rhyme or reason as to why, maybe it's the impending birthday...

Anyway, I'm sure my brothers and parents could tell better stories and have more stories about these wonderful people, but I will do what I can with the limited childhood memories I have to pay tribute to a couple that I saw as an almost third set of grandparents.

I don't remember him as well. He passed away when I was really young, but I do remember that he was kind. I'm sure the mental picture that I have of him is somehow skewed with the mental picture of my grandpa, so I won't try to describe him. but I can tell you that he was literally a lifesaver. A few times as a very young girl, I started choking (on carrots... they're still my favorite veggie) and he came over and saved my life. He was great. I recall talking to him; probably following him around and his never making me feel like a nuisance.

After he passed away, I would go over and spend time with her. She was a wonderful person who kept plastic down in the house to keep things clean and had little candies in a jar for us when we were over. I remember her as frail. A tiny woman with love in her eyes.

The house had that peculiar smell of ointments and cleaning supplies. I can't really describe it very well, but I remember it. It was often dim inside their house, but it could just be that I was mostly there in the summers when the shades were drawn to keep out the sun. It was light enough from the sun coming in through the space between the white pull down shades and the windowsill so the lights weren't on. Besides, I loved hanging out in their back porch. It was completely enclosed with windows that would open so the summer breeze would come in through the screens.

Sitting there with a glass of lemonade was the stuff of childhood dreams.

They were wonderful. And always wanted to spend time with us. I guess they was lonely, but I never knew it. I just knew that she was sweet, and he was a hero, and I loved them.

Appropriate for Children of All Ages...

or is it?

On Sunday I was helping with the 1's during extended session (which is a fancy way of saying it was my turn to help watch the kids during church), when I was looking at the books we had in the room. I noticed a book called 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories and decided to take a look.


Would you read these stories to your kids at night??




David's lookin' pretty... happy... there isn't he?

But here he is cutting the head off of Goliath... fierce





I thought I'd add the story of Stephen Stoned to Death for your reading pleasure...




Stephen gave to council a meaningful speech. Beginning from Abraham, he traced the history of the Jewish people. But the council became enraged. "Your ancestors persecuted every prophet," Stephen said. "These prophets predicted that Christ would come. And now you're his murderers." With a shout they rushed him. "Look," Stephen said, "the heavens are opened. There's Jesus standing next to God." They covered their ears and dragged him from Jerusalem. There Stephen was stoned to death. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, " he prayed. Then he knelt saying, "Don't hold this sin against them." And then Stephen died.
Questions: What did Stephen see in heaven? What did he pray about the people who stoned him to death?

Would your one-year old understand??

Did you ever want to see Linus sing like Sting??

RubyRed showed me this video while we were hanging at Panera this evening...

Enjoy =o)

Poem Challenge

(Click on the Pic to read the poem...)

2nd Annual Memorial Day Weekend at the Dancing Dog B&B take 2

I forgot something in my list of memories that deserves mention...

Elk Horn it up, baby!!!!

Here are a couple of pics from the weekend...

Lights

So, thanks to a coworker of mine, RubyRed and I were able to go to the Nashville Symphony this past weekend! It was AWESOME!! While there we (again) discussed the lighting they have there. I think it's industrial with an olt timeish feel. I think it has to do with the globes they used. I'm not saying I'd use it in my house, but I really think they look good!

What do you think??

Here are two pictures (one I think is a drawing of the plans, and has the lights unlit. The other is from this weekend...)

2nd Annual Memorial Day Weekend at the Dancing Dog B&B

Here are some thoughts for the days...

Friday:
*Hi Ho.... Bye Ho...
*On your brochure, you promised free overnight loving in the garage, but when we got there it was full...
*Rest your lips against a pillow.
*El Mariachi's punch! Is it papaya? guava? mango?? How good is your palate??
*When in Arkadelphia, be sure to visit Aaron's college campus for the chance to see the Flippen-Perrin and Mabee Fine Arts buildings!
*Enchanted (while I actually almost called this movie enchanting, I realized how very dumb I sounded but thought I'd let you make fun of me anyway) let's just say... "eeett's goood"

Saturday:
*Aaron makes very yummy pancakes!
*Petanque would have been even more fun if not for the humidity in the morning (doh!)
*Barat's and Bereta (YES! Family Values!!) & Home Star Runner followed by Aaron's iTunes and some dancing
*Who gets competitive playing Rumikube??
*27 Dresses. I have to write a little something here... I love this movie! Benny and the Jets, she's got electric boobs... It's hysterical!! But I think my favorite part of watching it this weekend, was watching everyone else watch it for the first time (except RubyRed; she'd seen it before)! Knowing what was coming up and hearing RachelBaby, Aligato, Aaron and Papa John laugh loudly at the same time! Loved it!

Sunday:
*Strip Mall Baptist was fantastic. Aaron really found a great place to worship!
*Instead of going out to eat, we cooked with/for each other. I think everyone helped in some way and it was really good! Props for the slightly spicy homemade mac-n-cheese goes to RubyRed. I think we all had seconds!
*Ali kicked our "tay's" (guessing at the spelling) at Attack Uno
*Donnie and Lori joined us in the evening for grilling in and games.
*The boys winning at Battle of the Sexes
*Aaron almost beating all the rest of us at Battle of the Sexes (if we hadn't gotten a "go to the end" wildcard, he would have!)
*Having what I'm told is referred to as a 'sanging' after Donnie and Lori left. It all started with *"God of Earth and Outer Space" and turned into a great time of true worship. Thanks for starting it Aaron (you need to post the lyrics to your favorite hymn!)

Monday:
*Back on the road again... to jobs and homes and things that needed our attention. Thanks' so much Aaron, for opening up the Dancing Dog B&B for a weekend of relaxation. And, on a personal note, thanks for the 'Becky Dip' Burgers... it was nice of you to think of it...