Updates on the family....

Ron: Left for Phoenix today; gone for 10 days.
Gwen: Shopping (yuck) for work clothes and school supplies.
Ryan: Still hoping the geology field will open up; exploring other options.
Scott: His footlocker is home; he will follow soon!
Rebecca: The pool is up; Ed is home; all is right with her world :-)
Edward: Home from Iraq for R&R.
Seth: Spent 2 days with Mimi this past week; fun!
Leslie: Still getting used to having 2 little ones to care for; not going back to work any time soon.
Gerson: Still working for Time Warner, playing soccer.
Maggie: Potty trained!
Sophie: Brown eyes :-(
Daisy: getting old.
Buddy: Missing Ron

Catching up...

The family has had a super busy month! Consequently, every time I sat down to blog I would get overwhelmed by how much there was to post. That would lead to no post at all. So, here is a whole bunch of nonsense.
Family Reunion Aftermath:
Once the reunion ended, I needed to start my annual summer cleaning. During the school year, I never have time for the heavy cleaning such as windows, baseboards, curtains, etc. It took me a whole week to get the house as clean as I wanted it to be. Now, the windows & curtains can collect dirt until Christmas break. It was also time to clean out closets, drawers, and files. I spent one day just shredding paperwork! Nothing feels as good as getting the house clean and organized.
Sophie Lyn's Arrival:
Leslie's doctor decided to induce her labor a few weeks early because her blood pressure was starting to get too high. So, on June 29th Sophie was born. She is a cute little thing. I don't really think she looks that much like Maggie, but then Maggie was soooo tiny and not nearly as chubby. Maggie and cousin Seth both adore her and are so sweet and gentle around her. We are just thrilled to have such healthy, beautiful grandchildren.
Baby Quilts:
I started a quilt for Sophie before she was born. However, once it was finished, I decided I really didn't like it that much. So, I decided to finish it anyway and give it to Leslie's best friend for her new baby boy, Owen. It worked out okay because I used bright primary colors in a pinwheel pattern. Then, I spent some time rummaging through quilting magazines to find some possible alternatives. I finally found a beautiful pink quilt that will be a bit of a challenge for me. It is made of batik fabric using circles so it has the illusion of large flowers. I haven't started it yet, because it is one I will need help from Mom with. The third quilt is for the neighbors across the street. They just had a new baby girl named Rebecca. I have taken picture of the Sophie quilt in the magazine and the quilt for Rebecca, but I have the quilt for Owen in the machine and it is at my shop. I will post a picture of them all again once they are quilted and bound.
July 4th:
Initially, we had decided we were going to spend the holiday at Becca's house. She was scheduled to have her pool up and running by then so we figured we would grill up some food, swim, and then from her back yard we could see the fireworks display being put on at the city park. However, several factors messed up those plans. First, Sophie arrived earlier that was expected. Second, the ONE day of rain and less than 100 degree weather delayed Becca's pool. Third, Ryan had to work on the 4th. So, we collectively agreed to not do anything. But, to make a long story short, we ended up having a spur of the moment celebration at Leslie and G's house. We threw together a meal with whatever was in Becca, Leslie, and my kitchens; spent some time in the pool, and then drove over to watch the fireworks on Ft. Hood. It was a bittersweet day though. Missing my sons in Iraq always puts a damper on things.
All in all, June ended up being a very productive month.

Family Reunion '09

Several years ago, our family agreed to gather together for one week during the odd numbered years. So far, we have held 3 family reunions. The first was in '05 at Mt. View, Arkansas. The second was in '07 at Petit Jean State Park, also in Arkansas. Arkansas is the most centrally located state for most of the family. This year we had intended to return to Petit Jean, but due to scheduling conflicts, our original reservations had to be canceled and a new location was necessary. What a pain that turned out to be! Anyway, to make a long story short, we ended up having a traveling reunion. It began on June 13th in Ft. Worth, TX at my brother Bob's home. He has a very nice pool so most of the day was spent splashing and talking. My brother David and his family met my family there and we spent the evening talking and laughing as we caught up on all the family happenings.
On Sunday evening, most of the family then moved on down to central TX to spend a couple of days with my parents. We just crashed at either my house or my daughter Rebecca's house, which gave us even more opportunities to spend time together while sunburns healed a little. By Tuesday, we were ready for the sun and water again, so we all headed to Schliterbahn. It was a blast! That is truly the one vacation spot in TX where you can be outside all day and remain cool. That evening we returned to Temple totally exhausted, but thankful we had been able to spend so much time together. Wednesday was spent playing board games, eating, talking, laughing, and having a wonderful time. Unfortunately, it all had to come to an end on Thursday with families returning to their various homes. Sadly, no one from Larry's branch of the family could attend. But, there is always the next reunion. I wanted to post a group picture from each reunion, but couldn't find one taken in '05. So, here are the group shots from '07 and '09.

End of another school year...

As each school year ends, for some reason parents feel obligated to purchase thank you gifts for me. As a teacher, I have to admit I have received some very nice parting gifts. I know that they are sincere expressions of appreciation for the time and energy I put into teaching their children. However, every now and then I get a gift that really means a lot to me. It usually isn't one of those gift cards to my favorite restaurant, a certificate at the teachers' store, or luxurious lotions and shower gels. It is always the gift that was given to me by one of my students. I can always tell that a lot of time and effort was put into those gifts, and they always make me chuckle or bring tears to my eyes. I thought I would share one of my all time favorites. It was given to me by the same character that showered the bathroom with ketchup and tried to mend the hole in his shirt with tape.
Here is the text:
"Roses are red vilets are blue my feet smell stinky, you are cool to play baskit ball. I shuld stop talkig and here is a special someting for you love ben A I will miss you. for being a graet teacher."
It also has an illustration of me shooting baskets with him during recess.
Who would have thought a few basketball shots at recess would have stuck in his memory!
Enjoy!
p.s. those are coins that are attached with scotch tape.

Memorial Day as a Mom...

I will forever be grateful for my experiences as an Army Brat and as an Army Wife. Living in so many locations, meeting so many wonderful people, and struggling through the challenges associated with that lifestyle, helped me become a person I am happy with. I also believe it has contributed to my deep sense of Patriotism and pride in my country. Is it a life I would choose for my children? Probably not. However, being that Scott has dedicated a goodly portion of his adult life to the military through his years in the National Guard I have accepted the fact that my opinion doesn't matter. Luckily, Scott has come through a tour in Afghanistan and most of a tour in Iraq safely. We miss him terribly and worry about him constantly. We try to not count the days until he is home with us again. Instead, we stay busy and keep him in our prayers. But on holidays like Memorial Day, our thoughts can't help but turn to him. We are proud of his dedication to our country, his honorable performance of his duty, and the commitment he has for his fellow soldiers. As we enjoy the blessings of living in this wonderful country, let us not forget those who serve and make that life possible for us all.

J is for joke....

My class has been counting down the last days of school by the ABC's. Each of the last 26 days is assigned a letter and activities are planned based on the letter of the day. A few days ago we had "J is for Joke Day" and these are some of the best:

Ben A. "What do you call a bank robbing bird?" ...A robin"
Alison B. "What is the worst gift in the world? ... an inflatable dart board"
Emma N. "What did the dentist give to the marching band? ... a tuba toothpaste"
Rylee O. "Why couldn't the bike stand up? ... it was two-tired"
Celes G. "How do you make a tissue dance? ...you put a little boogie in it"
Alex K. "Why did the rocket lose it's job? ...it was fired"
Ben M. "What did the sea say to the beach? ...nothing, it just waved"
Alore F. "Why was the flower able to go for such a long bike ride? ..it had petal power"
Grace K. "What did the chef give to the marching band? ...a drum stick"

Just remember, they are only first graders!

Special temple trip...

Yesterday we escorted Leslie and Gerson through the temple! What a wonderful day filled with sweet spiritual experiences, joy, happiness, laughter, close friends and family.