tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58776521789682513322024-03-13T20:27:00.643-07:00Totally UnbelievableOkay so there is absolutely nothing in this blog that is totally unbelieveable. It's just that every single name I tried to use to name this blog was already taken. And I was thinking how totally unbelievable that was...and the rest is well, history!mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-28772160103325692152010-04-06T17:00:00.000-07:002010-04-07T07:22:21.741-07:00Florida - Stuff<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Sorry no pictures today:( Just some comments and observations about our day....you'll have to use your imagination!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Saw a hummingbird fly by and a large blackbird - maybe a magpie - swooped down and snatched that hummingbird up in his beak! Just like that! Yikes, I didn't know that birds ate each other! Gross.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Don't you just love old people? I do and believe me...Florida is the old people mothership! So here are two old people stories....</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">There is this lady we see every day walking on the beach pushing a pink stroller. She has this unnaturally red hair. I mean RED. She wears a visor that makes her hair stand straight up as if it didn't already command enough attention on its own. She is about 70 and wears these tight black capris with a big t-shirt with sparkles on it. Can you picture it?? Here's the thing......she has a DOG in that stroller! Yep, poor pup. Can you imagine the humiliation?!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Tonight we went out to dinner and there was this old guy with long white hair dressed head to toe in pink. Pink cardigan, pink shirt, pink pants......it was adorable!! I guess by the time you are in your 70's you've earned the right to do as you please and by the time you're in your 80's you can blame almost anything on senility.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-56030352182091710192010-04-05T17:00:00.000-07:002010-04-05T17:42:07.977-07:00Florida 2010 - Shuttle Launch<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Well it's spring break and we are in Florida. We are alone - no kids this trip. I think the trip down here last year didn't feel as long as it did this year. Don't know why??? Maybe because last year with Luke and Caleb we were making stops every few minutes for either food or bathroom breaks. This year I think we only stopped when the car needed gas and it felt like a really long trip:(</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Anyways, we arrived here late Saturday afternoon and have been enjoying the warm weather, sun and beach. Each morning we flip a coin to see if we walk left or right on the beach and each evening we take turns choosing where to eat. A person could get used to this!!!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">One big bonus this trip was the space shuttle launch this morning. We were up and on the beach with the rest of the world before dawn. I was wondering if we'd be looking in the right place to see the launch but when it was time there was really no question!! I have never seen such a brilliant light and then a minute or so later we heard and felt it. Pretty cool stuff, even for a non space person like me!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here we are fooling around while waiting for the launch.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456811308902122594" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S7p8-VlyBGI/AAAAAAAAA-M/RiNrsoGEwg4/s320/April+2010+006.JPG" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">This photo is not mine but it looks exactly like what we saw.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 301px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.geekologie.com/2010/02/08/shuttle-launch.jpg" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">We hung out on the beach for a while to watch the sunrise and as it began to get light we saw these contrails leftover from the shuttle launch. Pretty sweet yes???</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456811320049494610" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S7p8-_HhalI/AAAAAAAAA-U/h3Xtn11KWsA/s320/April+2010+023.JPG" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">It was definitely worth getting up to see but as soon as we saw the sunrise it was back to sleep for me!! Hey, it's vacation!!</span></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-90538966802339629952010-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:002010-02-25T06:00:05.673-08:00Tragedy Averted!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S4Z0hGSv4dI/AAAAAAAAA-E/aaKN2Gtr8nE/s1600-h/12.09+013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442165311697576402" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S4Z0hGSv4dI/AAAAAAAAA-E/aaKN2Gtr8nE/s320/12.09+013.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S4Z0R7aPMaI/AAAAAAAAA98/_2Sfepfmy7A/s1600-h/winter2010+046.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442165051078160802" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S4Z0R7aPMaI/AAAAAAAAA98/_2Sfepfmy7A/s320/winter2010+046.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Yikes! It's been a while since I've updated......I get ideas for blogs all the time but then I either start one and put it in drafts or forget about it all together. But this morning I don't have to go to work so I'm going to take a minute and tell you about the tragedy that was narrowly averted yesterday.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">I came home from work a little later than usual and Tom was already here, shoveling the driveway from yet another little (~3 inches) snowfall. I went inside and put my stuff away and began the daily task of searching for the mail and newspaper and checking email and of course my Farm (on Facebook.......my virtual farm......my little addiction......see an earlier post for more...) </span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">After a little while Tom came in and asked if I'd let the dogs in. <strong>Let the dogs in</strong>??? What??? I didn't let them <strong>out</strong>!!! It's not unusual for Murphy (45# black lab mix) to leave the yard. In fact we have an invisible fence here and Murph will often decide it is worth the pain of the shock to chase deer or explore. Cadi (100+# yellow lab), on the other hand, stays in the yard. So when Tom told me they weren't in the yard I was concerned and began calling for them and asking neighbors. After about 30 minutes Murph came running home.....dripping wet. She was soaked! By now I was really worried for Cadi. I knew she was in the water somewhere and since her knee surgery a few weeks ago, I knew she wouldn't be able to swim for long. Naturally Tom accused me of over reacting and calmly tried to follow tracks through the snow. COME ON!!! IT'S ALMOST DARK AND MY DOG IS IN THE WATER SOME WHERE!!!! </span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">We all got in our cars and scoured the area. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Thankfully we had a regular family posse out looking for her. Just then one of our daughters came over and when she'd been updated on the situation, ran down to the lake looking and spotted Cadi barely hanging on to the ice, completely submerged except for her head. She ran to a nearby house, hysterical and called Tom's cell and he drove/ran down and met her, grabbed a boat and went out on the ice after her. (I'm glad I didn't know this until after!) They were somehow able to drag her out of the water and off the ice. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">We figure that she was in the water about 45-60 minutes, so she was <strong>really</strong> weak and cold. They had to carry/drag her to the truck as she was too exhausted to walk. Tom gave her a warm bath and we fed her and she and Murph curled up together on their dog bed in the family room and slept all evening even though there were 6 grandkids here climbing all over them!!!</span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">First thing on today's to-do list??? Put fresh batteries in their collars and maybe have Murph's turned up a little higher!! </span></div><div align="justify"> </div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-64456796465291296942010-01-31T11:00:00.000-08:002010-01-31T11:00:00.067-08:00The (Dead?) Horse<a href="http://www.ourfirsthorse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/f_sleeping-colt.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 109px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.ourfirsthorse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/f_sleeping-colt.jpg" /></a><br /><p> </p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Have you ever been unable to stop laughing about something? Sometimes it is something that is not actually funny in a hahaha funny sense. It happens to me frequently and usually at the most inappropriate time. Like in church. Once when Nathan was a baby we were sitting in church and he was gnawing on his teether - you know, those water-filled ring things? - and it sprung a leak and there was absolutely nothing that could be done to minimize the water fountain that sprung forth from that little teether! We about fell off the pew as I recall. Who knew that it was filled with about a gallon of water?? Anyways it happened again today and again in church........</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">But let me set the stage. This morning while driving to church we saw a very unusal sight - it was about 10 degrees outside and we passed a woman walking along the side of the highway and across the road the was something large under a tarp. As we zipped past, we noticed two feet sticking out from under the tarp. I thought it was a cow but Tom said it was definitely horse feet complete with horse shoes. Weird, huh? So we commented that it was going to be quite a feat just moving that animal off the shouder of the road and wondered how it came to be there in the first place, and what they were going to do with the body since the ground is too frozen to dig, etc.... It felt to me like we were in an episode of Northern Exposure. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">So we got to church and sat down and when it was time for the sermon the pastor was giving examples of how some creatures are just programmed or wired to do certain things. And believe it or not the first example was a horse and how horses are just wired to run (and there was a photo of a race horse on the screen) and I guess that was the beginning of it for me - I could already feel the laughter welling up inside of me and the pastor went on to say that a horse who couldn't run might as well just fall down and die. At this moment I knew it was going to be one of those laughing moments......not because of a dead horse......but just the sheer absurdity of it! I didn't dare look at Tom but when I heard a little stifled whinny from him, I did look at him and from then on it was all downhill!! It was just the kind of thing that would have garned the *stink eye* and a sharp elbow to the ribs from my mom to one of us or better yet from me to one of my kids at a moment like that. And it was exactly and completely uncontrollable at the moment. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Fortunately</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> we recovered from out fit of laughter quickly and later, on the way home we discovered that the (dead?) horse had been removed from the shoulder of the road. </span></p>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-54834839055423254102010-01-16T19:00:00.000-08:002010-01-19T13:28:57.841-08:00Happy New Year!<a href="http://bestdesignoptions.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/happy-new-year-wallpaper-12.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 340px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 375px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://bestdesignoptions.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/happy-new-year-wallpaper-12.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">You would think that now that the holidays are over I would have more time for stuff like updating this blog. <strong><em>I</em></strong> even thought I would have more time. Silly silly me. Perhaps I'm just lacking motivation?? But now that I've un-decorated and re-packed all my Christmas stuff it does finally feel like the new year. Phew! Well except for the tree. The tree will probably still be up for a while. Valentine's Day is the goal.</span></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">And what a new year it has been so far! Here are the highlights:</span></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Our yellow Lab, Cadi, slipped on the icy driveway right before Christmas as she charged out the door pell mell. We noticed her limping and dragged her to the vet who discovered that she'd torn her anterior cruciate ligament which would have to be surgically repaired. Apparently Santa didn't get our memo and so we started off the new year with doggy orthopedic surgery. Yippee. Fortunately, even though it has only been 4 days since surgery, she is already using her leg more than before! Doesn't she look pitiful? And how about that knee....ouch!</span></div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427518411536106546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/S1JrPTOAhDI/AAAAAAAAA9k/kHmjvLodljc/s320/12.09+013.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Something else I learned was to <strong><em>never share any passwords with anyone! </em></strong>It is major creepy to be chatting online with someone who is <em><strong>standing right next to you! </strong></em>It was like a horror movie - a really bad horror movie! Thank goodness she was standing there with me because I'd have been chatting with someone that I never associate with and luckily she was able to identify that her account had been hacked into and rectify the situation before major damage had been done! Beware people, beware! </span></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 510px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 404px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.healthjournalism.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/computer-hacker.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">One thing I've discovered is that it is sooo much quicker to check pockets of clothes <strong><em>before </em></strong>you wash them than it is to scrub chapstick out of your clothes and re-wash them later. AUGH. It is worse than kleenex.....trust me!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://bigmamacass.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/chapstick.jpg" /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And here's another dilemma. Let's say you find a restaurant or store that you really like. Do you tell everyone about it or keep it to yourself?? I ask because this is not the first time that we've *discovered* a sweet little restaurant and then we told everyone how yummy it was and now when we go there we have to wait in line for a table. It's just <strong>wrong!</strong> And so, no, I am not going to tell you where it is. But I will say that if you love bbq this place is the bomb! </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Oh yeah...have a Happy New Year too!<strong></strong></span></div><strong></strong><br /><strong><br /><div align="justify"></strong></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-52296055633119965972009-12-28T13:00:00.000-08:002009-12-31T03:54:53.596-08:00Christmas 2009<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">It's been <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">soo</span> long since I've updated that I don't even know where to start......</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span> at the Nutcracker-her sister Linnea was a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Drosselmeier</span> mouse this year and so when she had her makeup done, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span> also got a mouse face.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415204650896858210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Syar8GLAHGI/AAAAAAAAA78/3zKi5tAvryE/s320/December+2009+007.JPG" />And this is Maggie making *snow* with a piece of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">styrofoam</span>. She made lots and lots of *snow* but when the foam was all gone......</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419274497132158050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzUhcU3lXGI/AAAAAAAAA8c/uKMZxqmprrc/s320/Dec+2009+012.JPG" /> She wasn't very happy!!!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419274222006288162" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzUhMT8dvyI/AAAAAAAAA8U/bsukrUGN_qM/s320/Dec+2009+015.JPG" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">She kinda wasn't loving Santa this year either! Isn't that an awesome looking Santa? But imagine being a little kid and being expected to sit in this strange stranger's lap!?!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 234px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420378525525771458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkNjPIehMI/AAAAAAAAA9U/o_TYdn5DyaY/s320/Maggie+%26+Santa.jpg" /><br />And here we have the whole family on Christmas Eve opening gifts!<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420379652768682626" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkOk2cIUoI/AAAAAAAAA9c/3v0nezDWwsk/s320/Dec+2009+048.JPG" /> Caleb and Alec (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">im</span>)patiently waiting for their turn to open a gift. Luke was Santa this year and I had all the gift tags coded to make it more fun. I used initials or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">birth dates</span> instead of names on most of the gifts. I'm such a clever, tricky grandma,,,heh heh!</span></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420376625332360866" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkL0oXEFqI/AAAAAAAAA8s/0XINfOxfo-c/s320/Dec+2009+043.JPG" /> This picture actually looks like it should come before the last two...oh well!<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkMTE1HOUI/AAAAAAAAA88/gTjtOzCQ8KE/s1600-h/Dec+2009+035.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420377148370663746" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkMTE1HOUI/AAAAAAAAA88/gTjtOzCQ8KE/s320/Dec+2009+035.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Here is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span> opening something.....<br /><br /><br /></span><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkMHMV4HvI/AAAAAAAAA80/2RfXSONM3Ng/s1600-h/Dec+2009+041.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420376944228703986" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkMHMV4HvI/AAAAAAAAA80/2RfXSONM3Ng/s320/Dec+2009+041.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Here are Caleb, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span> and Olivia playing with some of their new toys.....<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Playdoh</span> and a paint set (which is why <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span> has her dress off!)<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420377407199165666" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzkMiJCovOI/AAAAAAAAA9E/yFjqCPvX63A/s320/Dec+2009+051.JPG" /><br />This is my mom & dad - they wanted to have a picture in front of the tree to use on their Christmas card for next year! Notice all the red tinsel on the tree??? Some one thought it would be fun to use that instead of tissue in her gifts and so the three little girls had it spread pretty much all over the house and I do mean ALL OVER! I'm not exactly sure whose idea it was to have them put it on the tree after they'd picked it all up?!? It came off the tree real easy with the shop vac just in case you wondered!<br /><br /></span><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzUhtxKwnXI/AAAAAAAAA8k/yBcE5T3oqv0/s1600-h/Dec+2009+056.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419274796786556274" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SzUhtxKwnXI/AAAAAAAAA8k/yBcE5T3oqv0/s320/Dec+2009+056.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> And that pretty much sums up the last few weeks at our house! I am always happy once Christmas is over and we can get back to a more normal routine here......well, normal for us!</span></div></div></div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-75652870163447226662009-12-10T20:00:00.000-08:002009-12-14T12:45:14.987-08:00Swedish Breakfast<div align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 477px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.appliedlanguage.com/flags_of_the_world/large_flag_of_sweden.gif" /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Okay so if you've known me for more than five minutes, you most likely know that my family is Swedish. Came through Ellis <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Island</span>. Right off the boat. My parents are first generation Americans. They were fairly fluent in the language.....enough that they and the grandparents could communicate without any of us kids having a clue! </span></div><br /><a href="http://www.trycare.co.uk/chiropodists/techdata/redhorsebig.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 340px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 340px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.trycare.co.uk/chiropodists/techdata/redhorsebig.gif" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">All the grandparents are gone now and also the rest of their generation and so, unfortunately, have a lot (alright, <strong>most</strong>) of the cultural / family traditions. There is, however, one tradition that remains and that is the Swedish Lucia breakfast. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My mom & I attended it again last weekend. I really don't know what the history is for the event other than food and a girl - supposedly the oldest daughter - wearing a wreath of lit (yikes!) candles on her head and the littlest kids in costume dancing and singing and stuff. So at this particular breakfast there is all of that and a modest assortment of foods and other Swedish things for sale.<br />This is a photo of a Lucia celebration - not the one we went to though.</span><br /><a href="http://blog.nj.com/2days/2008/11/large_2d22ce1.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 453px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://blog.nj.com/2days/2008/11/large_2d22ce1.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Attending any event with your 80 year old mother can be an *exciting* thing and this was no exception! She talks a little too loud. She comments on everything and everyone.....whether appropriate or not. She tells everyone at the table (all strangers) that the food is not as good as her grandmother's recipe but can't tell you what it was that made grandma's food so much better. She tells everyone, including the servers "god dog" which she thinks is Swedish for good day. I don't know...maybe it is but if someone kept saying "god dog" to you.........hey, I'm just saying......</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So I got my annual cultural experience and spent a pleasant morning doing so!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">"God dog", to all! Heh heh!</span><br /><br /></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-47984474708673857142009-11-30T20:00:00.000-08:002009-11-30T20:00:01.638-08:00Thanksgiving 2009<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Okay - finally a minute to post a real update.<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yay</span>!!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">So a few weeks ago I went with my friend to a craft class. We made these cute craft things that you see in the photo below. They look pretty simple to make don't they? But no.....they were so <strong>not</strong> simple! In fact I learned that night what it must feel like to be mentally challenged. The instructor was speaking English and although I understood the words she was saying there was just no way that was translating into the actions needed to create the craft. My mind was a big "huh?" all night. I'll never be invited to another craft class with that friend I guess. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409517213836269378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ3PsESV0I/AAAAAAAAA6M/cIz4rd-MXfY/s320/November+2009+583.JPG" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Back to Thanksgiving.....Here are Murphy and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cadi</span> waiting patiently for Tom to drop some Thanksgiving treats to them. It isn't like there is a shortage of food *falling* on the floor. After all there were 7 kids under 11 here! I doubt the dogs missed much!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409518790216184130" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ4rcii8UI/AAAAAAAAA60/0_5qAmihM2U/s320/November+2009+597.JPG" /> Here we have table number one with Great grandma & pa, Julie, Linnea, Alec & Luke.</span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="justify"><br /></div></span><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409517680627612754" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ3q3AA_FI/AAAAAAAAA6c/I-tJSSTnUxk/s320/November+2009+592.JPG" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here in the other room is table number two with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span>, Caleb, Nathan, Steve, Eddie, Christina & Olivia</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409517471905451026" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ3etcxjBI/AAAAAAAAA6U/wsQQFe6EM3s/s320/November+2009+591.JPG" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Christina and Olivia made these cute turkey cupcakes.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409518355013702850" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ4SHSMFMI/AAAAAAAAA6s/UyFzXdg5P78/s320/November+2009+596.JPG" /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Alec made this centerpiece of "the First Thanksgiving" out of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Legos</span>. (I love that all the people are clone <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">troopers</span>! It just adds that little something special, don't you think?)</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409518047886798274" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ4APJbbcI/AAAAAAAAA6k/rMt1kIgsUBk/s320/November+2009+605.JPG" /> </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">After dinner the little boys played <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wii</span>. For hours. I think they're getting their own <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wii</span> for Christmas - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">shhhh</span> don't tell!<br /></p></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ5qcCO83I/AAAAAAAAA7M/I5xceWxVbzw/s1600/November+2009+607.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409519872412414834" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ5qcCO83I/AAAAAAAAA7M/I5xceWxVbzw/s320/November+2009+607.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> And the little girls played Barbies. What else?? Have you ever eavesdropped on the conversations of a 2 year old and a 3 year old?? Hilarious!!! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ4584_GKI/AAAAAAAAA68/yL8k3VewgO4/s1600/November+2009+594.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409519039418407074" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ4584_GKI/AAAAAAAAA68/yL8k3VewgO4/s320/November+2009+594.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Maggie wasn't quite old enough for Barbie......maybe next year. But she loves her new princess throne.....I mean chair!<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409520151706659394" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ56sfK6kI/AAAAAAAAA7U/4mmR87HtGck/s320/November+2009+606.JPG" /> And it wouldn't be an event - any event - if Luke didn't take off with my camera taking picture after picture of noses, butts, the wall, the lights, the carpet and just plain weird stuff!! You just never know what you'll find when you get your camera back from Luke. Like this shot of Maggie's eye?!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409520361320925858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SxJ6G5XGyqI/AAAAAAAAA7c/L9ab4bhDnIM/s320/November+2009+623.JPG" /></span></div><br /><br /></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Thank goodness it's all digital. If I paid to have a roll of film developed and found those shots I might</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">just be a tad cranky!!</span></p>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-80140311389128118662009-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:002009-11-26T07:57:44.526-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!<a href="http://fragranceoftruth.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/rockwell_thanksgiving.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 479px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://fragranceoftruth.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/rockwell_thanksgiving.jpg" /></a>I <strong>should</strong> be downstairs tidying up, preparing food for this afternoon's feast, setting tables and stuff. Instead I am updating this blog. Isn't that just like me!? Well the turkey went into the oven an hour ago and won't be ready for about 4 more hours, so what's the rush??<br />Later I will post pictures and a real update.<br /><br />Or maybe I'll just take a tryptophan-induced nap!mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-50207667204119845862009-11-13T16:00:00.000-08:002009-11-13T16:51:05.659-08:00The Addiction<div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Okay it has been quite a while since I've updated. Sorry. There really hasn't been a lot of excitement around here, which is good considering what we've been through the last couple months.....bridal shower, wedding, numerous birthday parties, and a christening. Whew! But you already knew all that. So now I will attempt to explain the reason for my long absence from this blog. </span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">My name is Sheryl and I am an addict. Every day begins with my craving for a "fix" and I can't, in fact, even get out of bed until I satiate my habit. Once at work I have to sneek around for a quick hit and I'm driven by my habit to be home at the exact times that I need more than just a quickie and I can get my fix without rushing and hiding. My habit has become so bad that I've actually gotten up in the middle of the night and without even turning on any lights, I ever so quietly sneek to check my computer and see that my Facebook farm is running smoothly, cows and other livestock are fed and harvesting crops as necessary. Yep, this farm is <strong>serious</strong> business! I've sucked the whole family into the Farmville web now and we actually have conversations that to an outsider might actually sound as if we were really farmers who knew what we were doing! Of course they'd be wrong but we have to do <strong>something</strong> now that all the other excitement has come to an end, right?</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Well gotta go - I have some tomatoes that will be ready in a minute!</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 442px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403739450054505122" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sv3wZktDcqI/AAAAAAAAA6E/kzpZqjFBn4U/s320/13734_174176567077_612557077_2945150_4400207_s%5B1%5D.jpg" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;">This is me in a field on my farm......sorry about the blurry image, but you get the idea!</span>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-41421699692737546022009-10-30T17:00:00.000-07:002009-10-30T17:00:02.583-07:00EEEEWWWW!!!!!!<div align="justify"><a href="http://206.47.170.43/channels/images/toothbrush-old-453.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 453px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 343px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://206.47.170.43/channels/images/toothbrush-old-453.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> This is what Tom's toothbrush looks like. So, the other day when I was cleaning the bathroom, I used it to clean the crud around the sink, faucet, knobs, counter, etc. And then - this is the important part - <strong>I threw it in the garbage</strong>.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">So this morning when I spotted it back in the toothbrush cup I was kinda grossed out. But I was hoping that maybe it wasn't the one I threw away. I called Tom on my way to work to check - how do you ask someone if they took a toohbrush <em>out of the <strong>garbage</strong></em> and resumed using it??? But ask I did and he said that he thought it had just fallen in there so he retrieved it and put it back in the cup and kept using it. Yeah.....mmmhhhmmm....it hopped out of the cup and walked across the counter and then lept into the garbage. BLECCCHHH!!!</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Tonight it is going into the dumpster. Where he won't find it!</div></span>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-22753575814145334122009-10-29T19:00:00.000-07:002009-10-29T19:00:03.275-07:00Smiling Kitty<span style="font-family:arial;">This cat is not smiling - it is hissing. Hissing is what cats do when they are angry.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LlfXWxcpJyU/SHNKF6VDpBI/AAAAAAAAIQE/jvhYsyvXFV0/s320/cat-hiss.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LlfXWxcpJyU/SHNKF6VDpBI/AAAAAAAAIQE/jvhYsyvXFV0/s320/cat-hiss.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Here is what Selah (2 years old) said to me the other day after she'd found the cat in his hiding place and woke him up from his nap......</div><div>Are you ready??</div><div>Okay here it is......</div><div> </div><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">"Gamma <strong>look</strong>! Kitty is <strong><em>smiling</em></strong> at me!"</span></div><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div><span style="color:#000000;">Not exactly Selah!!</span></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-44000201761375705182009-10-22T16:00:00.000-07:002009-10-22T18:04:38.984-07:00Stuff<div><div><div><div><div align="justify"><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Well it has been a quiet week here in Hartland. And quiet is <strong>good</strong>. That said, here are some of the past week's highlights.....well not exactly <em>high</em>lights.....but the most interesting stuff from the week. With pictures from the weekend thrown in for a splash of color!</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395586940266532434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SuD5vDFSzlI/AAAAAAAAA5s/uGlOX5Nxbfg/s320/Ludington+10.09+022.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Tom & I went to Ludington for a long weekend this past weekend. It was really cold up there and the leaves were really not changing much.....oh well. We didn't do much of anything other than close the place down for the winter. (Boo hoo!) Tom'll probably go back up and stay there for hunting in a few weeks. Alone - since I'm not that into being without running water, you know?</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395587250553688274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SuD6BG_hENI/AAAAAAAAA50/WPip0YfsXbs/s320/Ludington+10.09+043.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Driving to and from work these past few days I've noticed a couple signs that make me laugh. Both are hand lettered, posterboard size signs. The first one I noticed on my way home from work one afternoon and I didn't really think it said what I <em>thought</em> it said but another day I slowed down and sure enough it did say what I thought. It says simply "Obama - a horrible mistake". I'm not really trying to make a political statement here, I'm just saying......</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395586478087181330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SuD5UJVJlBI/AAAAAAAAA5c/c4eQTdGksHw/s320/Ludington+10.09+010.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Okay, the second sign was on the corner of a busy intersection and I actually drive around twice to read it. This one says "Wanted - common sense stimulus". (Must've been reading Glenn Beck's book, huh?) Unfortunately it wasn't there today. Bummer. I wonder if both signs were the work of the same person?</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395586329058374546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SuD5LeJ6c5I/AAAAAAAAA5U/R_cOUrndC-0/s320/Ludington+10.09+007.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Last night Tom & I went to Costco with two of our grandkids...... Selah (2) and Luke (7). It wasn't really my idea to take Selah to the store but when I tried to take her home she said "Cos-ick-co" and Tom has never heard her speak before and it was adorable and so we took her and Luke. They were good....Selah ate from every sample table in the store and wore a lot of it on her clothes. She also never stopped talking. Never. Selah seems to think that she is too big to ride in the cart. Hmmm......my kids rode in the cart until I couldn't hoist them up there and stuff their legs through the holes anymore. So she would wander away the second I blinked. But it's all good......I got <strong>most</strong> of the stuff I was looking for and all they wanted was the 15 pack of gum. That works out to 180 pieces of gum. I'm sure mommy was thrilled about that.....she's <em>almost</em> got all of it out of Selah's hair from <em>last</em> time! </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395587443923338722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SuD6MXWbxeI/AAAAAAAAA58/9VX1WnhJae8/s320/Ludington+10.09+028.JPG" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-91485758198924267782009-10-12T19:00:00.000-07:002009-10-12T19:30:28.844-07:00Monday Monday.....<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">It's been a while since my last post. After months and months of wedding planning and shower planning and all things wedding related, a first birthday celebration and a Christening, we have resumed a more normal (at least our kind of normal!) pace. And normal (as we know it) is good. So there hasn't been much to write about. Except for a couple things......</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">One is WE GOT A MEIJER RIGHT HERE IN HARTLAND!! Can someone say yeeha??!! Until you've lived at the edge of civilization you can't really appreciate the significance of having a Meijer so close to home. Yeah we got a Walmart a couple months ago but for too many reasons to list here, it's not the same as Meijer! </span><a href="http://www.insidesocal.com/bargain/Meijer.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 338px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.insidesocal.com/bargain/Meijer.gif" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />The second big event was that I GOT MY CAR BACK!!! It was in the shop exactly 3 weeks. I don't think it takes 3 weeks for heart surgery and recovery for crying out loud! For more on <strong><em>the car </em></strong>story check my earlier post. Anyways I was pretty happy to turn in the clown car rental that I'd been driving, which although it was good on mileage, was not so good in many other ways. Not complaining, just saying......</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://artandmylife.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/happy_dance.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://artandmylife.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/happy_dance.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> We also went to Ludington where the town was more or less closed down for the season. We hope to go back up there this weekend and winterize. Boo hoo! </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">So here are a couple pictures...... a tree.....I don't know why we took this picture. It must've seemed like a good idea at the time.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO3I4RzRJI/AAAAAAAAA5M/rswj4a5wX54/s1600-h/Oct+2009+009.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391854542066500754" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO3I4RzRJI/AAAAAAAAA5M/rswj4a5wX54/s320/Oct+2009+009.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">...... Hamlin Lake with a storm blowing in......</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO3AC181dI/AAAAAAAAA5E/V1mTmD9DTXU/s1600-h/Oct+2009+005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391854390283654610" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO3AC181dI/AAAAAAAAA5E/V1mTmD9DTXU/s320/Oct+2009+005.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">..... Lake Michigan with the snow fences already in place. UGH.<br /><br /></span><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO22k2zQsI/AAAAAAAAA48/QVRK3ssjJFk/s1600-h/Oct+2009+004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391854227615335106" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO22k2zQsI/AAAAAAAAA48/QVRK3ssjJFk/s320/Oct+2009+004.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> And this is Tom and Maggie the other night. I literally handed her to him when she wouldn't stop crying and she <strong><em>instantly</em></strong> fell asleep. Unfortunately, after about 5 minutes someone came to the door, the dogs started barking and she woke up. I don't think she ever went back to sleep that night! All night. We must've been a little younger when we did that with our kids huh?<br /></span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO2frKITII/AAAAAAAAA40/B0vtJrEWwjs/s1600-h/Oct+2009+003.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391853834170027138" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/StO2frKITII/AAAAAAAAA40/B0vtJrEWwjs/s320/Oct+2009+003.JPG" /></span></a><span ><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yep, I sound like my mom. Who knew???</span><br /></span></div></div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-76671061898887255272009-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:002009-10-05T17:41:46.194-07:00The Flu Shot<a href="http://images.clipartof.com/small/19701-Clipart-Illustration-Of-A-White-Nurse-Lady-In-Scrubs-Carrying-A-Giant-Syringe-Over-Her-Shoulder-While-Preparing-A-Vaccine-For-A-Hospital-Patient.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 407px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 450px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://images.clipartof.com/small/19701-Clipart-Illustration-Of-A-White-Nurse-Lady-In-Scrubs-Carrying-A-Giant-Syringe-Over-Her-Shoulder-While-Preparing-A-Vaccine-For-A-Hospital-Patient.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">I went to see the Dr. last week. It was just a check up. The nurse came in the room to weigh me and check my BP and pulse and stuff. During the weigh in I noticed that the little balance bar needle thing wasn't balancing in the middle it was just resting on the bottom. (Does that even make sense?) Anyways she took my BP and it was surprisingly lower than my usual. Then she was unable to find a pulse. Strange. A little later the regular nurse came in to re-check my BP and came up with my usual reading. Hmmmm.... Then she asked if I was<em><strong> really</strong></em> taking 3 of a prescription drug every day. What??? The first nurse never even asked what drugs I was taking! Yeah, doesn't really inspire confidence does it?? So after my visit with the Dr. the first nurse came back to give me the flu shot. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here was the conversation-</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">The whole time I was holding my arm so she couldn't give the shot until I was ready.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;">Me: So you're a student.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#990000;">Nurse: Yep. Doing my externship here. For 4 weeks. No pay</span>.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;">Me: So maybe you'll get hired?</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">(Please say no, please say no...)</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;">Nurse: Nope they hired someone else.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">(First reaction was thank goodness - then uh-oh.....)</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Me: Does the vaccine come ready to use?</span> </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;">Nurse: Nope. I drew it up myself.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">(BIG uh-oh...could be full of tiny air bubbles or might <em>not even be the flu shot!</em> Could be fertility drugs or worse! Get a grip woman!)</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">She sticks me once....</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;">Me: So do you get much practice at giving shots?</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">She sticks me <strong>again</strong>, this time for real.....</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#990000;">Nurse: Oh yeah, I've been doing this for a loong time, probably 2 weeks now.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Oh yeah, 2 weeks that's a really long time!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">HELLO!!!!</span></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-54248952509286332972009-09-27T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-27T19:00:00.056-07:00Maggie's 1st Birthday<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Today was a busy day. NO....it was a busy weekend! Anyways this morning Maggie was baptized and we went straight home from church to celebrate her 1st birthday which was also today. Whew! Big day for a little girl! </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here she is just before digging (literally) into her little cake.</span> </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386289537525170322" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sr_xy-2XQJI/AAAAAAAAA4U/Si9ZZX-XxUY/s320/September+2009+049.JPG" /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">And here she is licking cake off her hands. The other little kids were fascinated by the mess and the fact that the grownups were actually cheering her on to make an even bigger mess!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386289909682121234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sr_yIpPfqhI/AAAAAAAAA4c/mWu1VEKgV8o/s320/September+2009+065.JPG" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Needless to say,she really made a mess of herself. I can't tell you how happy I was that the weather cooperated and we were able to be outside!! (BIG understatement for soo many reasons!) And....we were able to power wash the high chair before bringing it back inside! (Big smile!)</span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386290330005234146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sr_yhHEVYeI/AAAAAAAAA4k/20Yx9NicrM4/s320/September+2009+068.JPG" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here are the papparazzi - I mean family - taking photos of the event. I don't think I could eat with that many people watching me and taking pictures. Maybe I could....but I'm just saying.....</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sr_y94JVodI/AAAAAAAAA4s/J6asR0gLf64/s1600-h/September+2009+062.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386290824215896530" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sr_y94JVodI/AAAAAAAAA4s/J6asR0gLf64/s320/September+2009+062.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> And here she is last year on the day she was born. Do I hear some "awww"s??</span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386289004395328386" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sr_xT8yTc4I/AAAAAAAAA4M/W2E2pT9VIMA/s320/MaggieJoy+005.jpg" /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">And this concludes the year of Nick, Chelsea & Maggie!</span></p>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-11728581442483683532009-09-22T18:00:00.000-07:002009-09-22T18:50:53.972-07:00Automobile Malpractice<div align="justify"><a href="http://www.chevrolet.com/assets/en/images/model/2009/equinox/gallery/exterior/masthead/chevy_equinox09_pg_ext_asset08CHEQ01004.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 504px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.chevrolet.com/assets/en/images/model/2009/equinox/gallery/exterior/masthead/chevy_equinox09_pg_ext_asset08CHEQ01004.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">This is my car. Well not exactly, but it's <em><strong>like</strong></em> my car. Except that my car doesn't run anymore. It ran fine 12 days ago when I took it in for service because the AC wasn't working. I asked them to check out the clunking sound while they had it in too. Yesterday I went to check on it and get some of my things that were in the car. The following is the conversation I had with the guy at the dealership.....</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Me: My Equinox ready yet? </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">Car Guy (hopefully): Um....we have a rental for you.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Me: Any idea when my car will be done?</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">Car Guy (sensing my extreme irritation): We're picking up the tab on the rental for you.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Me (knowing full well that what I'm about to suggest is impossible): Why don't you just give me back my car and call me when the part comes in?</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">Car Guy (shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, searching for an answer that will satisfy me and probably knowing that is impossible): We can't do that.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Me (relentlessly pursuing the admission that they broke my car): I just want my car back.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">Car Guy (looking to Tom for some help - Tom knows better): Well your car doesn't exactly run right now.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Me: It ran fine when I brought it here <strong>12 days</strong> ago. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">Car Guy (has completely given up at this point): Yes ma'am but it isn't running now.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Me: So basically you've rendered my car useless.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;">Car Guy: Yes.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">BINGO! We have a winner! </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;">So......I have a little red rental car, at the dealership's expense. They have no idea when the new part will even be available. And I'm just thinking that it's too bad I can't sue them for automobile malpractice...........</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-48957599714684396682009-09-17T21:00:00.000-07:002009-09-18T12:52:59.187-07:00It's Always Something...<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SrLMuivzOsI/AAAAAAAAA4E/WWRWe5g3fls/s1600-h/give+a+mouse+a+cookie.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382589604634507970" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SrLMuivzOsI/AAAAAAAAA4E/WWRWe5g3fls/s320/give+a+mouse+a+cookie.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">You know that kid's book "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie"? Just in case you've never heard of it, here is a summary. The mouse wants a cookie which leads to him needing milk and then a shave and so on and so on. This mouse is completely ADD. It's ridiculous how sidetracked he gets.<br />I might laugh if it wasn't so much like me. Here is the perfect example. Yesterday I went to Costco to pick up a cake (The All American Chocolate Cake....YUM!) for a co workers birthday. Yeah, I know......Costco was the first mistake. While there I found one of those curved shower curtain rods which I'd wanted to get for our place up north. Decided I wanted one for the kids bathroom at home also. So I got 2 of them. A couple hundred bucks later we were finished at Costco. (Got a bunch of stuff I didn't even know I needed). Went upstairs to look at the kids bathroom. Decided to take out the shower doors. Tom had to help remove the tracks and the glue or whatever that yukky stuff was. The tub was gross. Decided to clean it. The rest of the bathroom looked like a gas station bathroom. A <strong>bad</strong> gas station bathroom. Decided to clean the whole bathroom. Might as well wash the towels too. And why not wash everything in the hamper while I'm at it? Unfortunately the washer and dryer were both full of semi washed/dried clothes. Had to fold. Back in the bathroom - noticed holes in the walls from shower doors. Spackle you say? Good idea! Have any? Nope. Off to the hardware store. While there I remember that we need some.....well, it really doesn't matter.....are you seeing the whole ADD - If You Give A Mouse... theme here?? Umm yeah. And this <em>isn't even my bathroom</em> (other than for the fact it is in my house). </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">But really it's all Melissa's fault. It was <strong><em>her</em></strong> birthday!</span></div><div align="justify"></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-90151553398020236112009-09-15T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-15T19:33:34.265-07:00The Wedding<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Alright, I promised more about the wedding and so here goes.....</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Nick & Chelsea had a wedding last Saturday September 12. If you are one of my regular readers or a friend you will remember that they were married last year on September 12 at the court house. Two weeks later their sweet baby Maggie was born. So this year was the church wedding/vow renewal/anniversary/whatever. These photos are slightly out of sequence - the first photo should actually come after the one of Chelsea and her dad coming down the aisle. Anyways this is Maggie during the ceremony. Apparently not too interested in what mom & dad were doing.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq770ss8jZI/AAAAAAAAA38/Kk3e2ykN30E/s1600-h/Wedding+Maggie.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381515487525768594" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq770ss8jZI/AAAAAAAAA38/Kk3e2ykN30E/s320/Wedding+Maggie.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Here is Maggie, who was the flower girl, being pulled down the aisle in her wagon by the ring bearer, Aiden. Soooo cute!! I was a little worried about this since she screamed through this part at the rehearsal. Obviously my concern was unfounded. Speaking of rehearsals, every part of the ceremony and stuff was carefully planned and practiced. So after all the guests and grandparents were seated I was waiting for my son Nathan to seat Tom & I just as practiced and planned. However when the time came, I turned to take his arm and it was Nick.....totally took me by surprise!!! A tear or two later we were on our way down the aisle. Sweet moment.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77p_WVRjI/AAAAAAAAA30/z4UZXH4dRGw/s1600-h/Maggie+-+Wedding.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381515303552632370" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77p_WVRjI/AAAAAAAAA30/z4UZXH4dRGw/s320/Maggie+-+Wedding.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Guests were still chuckling and aww-ing over the cuteness when Chelsea and her dad came in.</span><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77ezHCPHI/AAAAAAAAA3s/ffNS0rvQgy8/s1600-h/Nick+%26+Chels+Wedding+(2).jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381515111288683634" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77ezHCPHI/AAAAAAAAA3s/ffNS0rvQgy8/s320/Nick+%26+Chels+Wedding+(2).jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Here is the happy couple. Mr. & Mrs. Nick Allen. Again.</span> <br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77Uzug0mI/AAAAAAAAA3k/Kq5xV_G-PaY/s1600-h/Nick+%26+Chels+Wedding.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381514939655574114" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77Uzug0mI/AAAAAAAAA3k/Kq5xV_G-PaY/s320/Nick+%26+Chels+Wedding.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The wedding party. Who knew how pretty the orange theme would be?? </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">The reception hall was beautiful!</span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77IdKB1MI/AAAAAAAAA3c/oA7RjqBt3-g/s1600-h/Wedding+2009+017.JPG"><span ><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381514727438537922" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq77IdKB1MI/AAAAAAAAA3c/oA7RjqBt3-g/s320/Wedding+2009+017.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Me with my fun sized friends Judy & Cindy at the reception.</span><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq760DlR9pI/AAAAAAAAA3U/Xo1AqUREcso/s1600-h/Wedding+2009+033.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381514376976135826" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq760DlR9pI/AAAAAAAAA3U/Xo1AqUREcso/s320/Wedding+2009+033.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Okay this is obviously the groom and groom's mother dance. But there is a story here...... A few weeks ago the kids asked me to choose a song for this dance. All the songs on their list were these sappy tear jerker songs and it was brutal choosing one that I thought wouldn't make me a blubbering fool. But I did finally choose one and it, along with all the other musical selections, were given to the deejay. And I can tell you <strong><em>for sure</em></strong> that it was not "Baby Got Back"!!! ("I like big butts and I cannot lie".....are only part of the lyrics....) Anyways there was no stinking way I wasn't going to dance with my kid no matter what song so I *danced* to that song and after a minute or so the deejay put the real song on. Needless to say there were no tears.....we were still laughing</span>!<br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq76qspJBrI/AAAAAAAAA3M/-vjzuww--k4/s1600-h/Wedding+2009+040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381514216199489202" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq76qspJBrI/AAAAAAAAA3M/-vjzuww--k4/s320/Wedding+2009+040.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">This is my favorite son in law Steve - dancing here with the red haired lady. I don't think she missed a dance. For like 4 hours!! Amazing!<br /></span><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq76bBX_2ZI/AAAAAAAAA3E/ki6K9QjCIlk/s1600-h/Wedding+2009+055.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381513946886822290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq76bBX_2ZI/AAAAAAAAA3E/ki6K9QjCIlk/s320/Wedding+2009+055.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yep, I see there is another picture out of sequence but this is a great picture to end this post with....so here they are one more time. <br /><br /></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq76J5QT5mI/AAAAAAAAA28/49fyFVbrMFQ/s1600-h/Nick+%26+Chels+Wedding+(3).jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381513652649322082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq76J5QT5mI/AAAAAAAAA28/49fyFVbrMFQ/s320/Nick+%26+Chels+Wedding+(3).jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Tom & I are enjoying the week....home alone.....pretending to be empty nesters......Nick & Chels are in Virgina honeymooning!! It's going to be short week!<br /></span><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-86204446944723863692009-09-13T18:00:00.000-07:002009-09-13T19:06:21.497-07:00Wedding<div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq2kGnUlhPI/AAAAAAAAA20/roUOxX8lZu0/s1600-h/Wedding+2009+020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381137563319108850" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq2kGnUlhPI/AAAAAAAAA20/roUOxX8lZu0/s320/Wedding+2009+020.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Yay!!! The wedding is over and everything went well and I will update with more pics and details later this week so check back in a day or two or go to my Facebook to see more pictures now.<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sq2j6RjAdUI/AAAAAAAAA2s/2YBwEyUwPuw/s1600-h/Wedding+2009+017.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><div></div><br /></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-40073731587321844652009-09-09T18:00:00.000-07:002009-09-09T18:11:41.200-07:00Labor Day, Birthday Party, Wedding.......<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Okay, can someone please tell me why the leaves are changing already?? Did we have a summer??</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">This photo was taken in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ludington</span> last weekend. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SqhAW3facmI/AAAAAAAAA2E/8vR7E8Tcv1Y/s1600-h/Lud.+Labor+Day+2009+005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379620516491063906" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SqhAW3facmI/AAAAAAAAA2E/8vR7E8Tcv1Y/s320/Lud.+Labor+Day+2009+005.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Yeah....so if the salmon are heading for the rivers already, then it <strong>must</strong> be the end of summer. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dagnabit</span>!! This is the nice one we caught in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pere</span> Marquette lake last Sunday.<br /></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SqhANPmt5uI/AAAAAAAAA18/FpzsKt6mVRI/s1600-h/Lud.+Labor+Day+2009+003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379620351165458146" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SqhANPmt5uI/AAAAAAAAA18/FpzsKt6mVRI/s320/Lud.+Labor+Day+2009+003.JPG" /></a><span > </span><span style="font-family:arial;">At least it was warm enough to finish up the summer with a little tubing on Hamlin Lake with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">niece</span> Lauren and her friend <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Franzi</span> who was visiting from Germany. <br /><br /></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sqg_2W97qbI/AAAAAAAAA10/9BQsnjOkjdI/s1600-h/Labor+Day+2009+003.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379619958004885938" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sqg_2W97qbI/AAAAAAAAA10/9BQsnjOkjdI/s320/Labor+Day+2009+003.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> This is oldest grandson Alec who turned 11 (gulp!) a week ago.</span><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sqg_Qgd00bI/AAAAAAAAA1s/mi2y7HjRgE8/s1600-h/Alec%27s+11th+BD+010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379619307719545266" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sqg_Qgd00bI/AAAAAAAAA1s/mi2y7HjRgE8/s320/Alec%27s+11th+BD+010.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">And now it is back to work for me (tear!) and the wedding countdown has gone from weeks, to days, to hours! So without further ado, here is the happy couple......Nick & Chelsea. Aren't they a lovely couple??<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350216052492999314" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sj_JJzBwGpI/AAAAAAAAAxM/TD6khBEjFIY/s320/n6605939_30550945_8579%5B1%5D.jpg" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">And here is their little one, Maggie "Hannah Montana".</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 163px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350216283991818050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Sj_JXRbXv0I/AAAAAAAAAxU/kdQtnq53T3A/s320/s687720719_5191543_735%5B1%5D.jpg" /> Check back later for some real wedding photos! I heard that Nick got his teeth fixed!!<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">LOL</span><br /></span><br /><div> </div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-8791079637127141492009-08-29T08:00:00.000-07:002009-08-29T08:05:31.974-07:00Some Good Advice<div align="justify"><a href="http://genikwawilliams.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/some-good-advice.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 473px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 281px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://genikwawilliams.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/some-good-advice.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">First let me just say that I knew it was a bad idea right from the start. That said, let me set the stage.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Yesterday was Alec's (oldest grandchild) 11th birthday. He wanted to go to McDonald's for lunch. You know, for the Lego happy meal....which he didn't even order! McDonald's is not the bad idea.....well it is but that's not the bad idea I'm referring to here. So we went to McD's for lunch. It was Julie and me and her 5 kids. After lunch we went to Target where I decided that I would look for a bra that would work with the dress I have for the wedding (another story) in 2 weeks. You know where this is going now, don't you? Yep so I head quickly for that department, with Selah (2 years old) in tow, as soon as we are in the doors, hoping to find something fast. Evidently I wasn't fast enough because I heard 2 little voices behind me following me to the lingerie section. Alec & Luke. Do I have to tell you what it's like shopping for a bra with 11 & 6 year old boys?! They were actually hilarious. I could hear the snickers of other shoppers. They were picking out styles they thought I would like "look at this one Grandma it has skulls on it", (perfect for the wedding don't you think?) "this is the kind mom wears", "how about THIS one?" (yeah if I was 12!) or my favorite..."what's THIS for?" (yikes!) and telling me which ones they liked, making recommendations and well......needless to say we left that section after only about 3o seconds and headed for the relatively safe realm of toys and candy. Phew!</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So here's my advice - take the kids shopping BEFORE lunch when they're whining and complaining and too hungry to care about shopping......when you can bribe them with McDonald's if only they'll give you 5 peaceful minutes to shop and <strong>then</strong>, yes maybe then, you'll be able to find what you're looking for!</span><br /><br /></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-14050176830861271842009-08-24T19:00:00.000-07:002009-08-24T19:00:00.229-07:00Just Pictures<div align="justify"><u><span style="color:#0066cc;"></span></u><span style="font-family:arial;">Somewhere along the line we have turned into big geeks. Yeah, yeah I know that you've always thought we were geeks but here is the evidence......more sunset photos! Yikes! And to make matters worse, Tom even turned the car around to get this shot.</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxpQkAnrI/AAAAAAAAA1c/0hYjREdzNsQ/s1600-h/Lud+-+Aug+2009+011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373693365273534130" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxpQkAnrI/AAAAAAAAA1c/0hYjREdzNsQ/s320/Lud+-+Aug+2009+011.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> We used to be much more interesting I think. That was before we started taking pictures of sunsets and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ludington</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">carferry</span>.<br /></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxck6kYqI/AAAAAAAAA1U/vLvMYX9JafI/s1600-h/Lud+-+Aug+2009+010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373693147398562466" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxck6kYqI/AAAAAAAAA1U/vLvMYX9JafI/s320/Lud+-+Aug+2009+010.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But wait - it gets better (or worse)......here is a sunset and a lighthouse together in one picture!</span><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxSTLvOqI/AAAAAAAAA1M/mFEziOYRbRo/s1600-h/Lud+-+Aug+2009+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373692970840046242" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxSTLvOqI/AAAAAAAAA1M/mFEziOYRbRo/s320/Lud+-+Aug+2009+001.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">And here is the required grandchild photo.....<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Selah</span> getting her ears pierced. I am pretty sure she wasn't expecting the element of pain that is associated with the procedure but she recovered quickly</span>.<br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxBAbNcLI/AAAAAAAAA1E/_rMSsLz5gEE/s1600-h/Ear+piercing+-+Selah+003.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373692673746890930" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMxBAbNcLI/AAAAAAAAA1E/_rMSsLz5gEE/s320/Ear+piercing+-+Selah+003.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Here she is later at home showing us her pretty purple earrings!<br /></span><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMw4yyzzPI/AAAAAAAAA08/MxeMgOXsZCc/s1600-h/Ear+piercing+-+Selah+008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373692532648824050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SpMw4yyzzPI/AAAAAAAAA08/MxeMgOXsZCc/s320/Ear+piercing+-+Selah+008.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Sadly (or not) I do not have any photographic evidence of our maiden kayak voyage. Or proof of one of us (snicker snicker) tipping it over and getting soaked, so......I guess you'll just have to decide for yourselves which of us big geeks is also a clumsy kayak paddler!<br /></span><div> </div></div><br /></div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-88882995768064943152009-08-17T12:00:00.000-07:002009-08-17T12:38:35.366-07:00VACATION 2009<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Tom & I are just back from 9 days in Ludington. Here are some of the pictures from the week. </span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">One day had been really really hot and so about 8 pm we headed for the Lake Michigan beach to swim and were still there for this fabulous sunset. </span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370758796192810946" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojEq21gh8I/AAAAAAAAAz8/zYhUt74g7gY/s320/Aug+2009+024.JPG" /></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">This is just a shot of Hamlin Lake. Unfortunately we spent no time on our boat because the first day Tom took it out fishing the motor blew up. Or something. It doesn't work anymore. </span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojFsIVRwVI/AAAAAAAAA0k/iQqZYs9VUqc/s1600-h/July+2009+005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370759917580960082" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojFsIVRwVI/AAAAAAAAA0k/iQqZYs9VUqc/s320/July+2009+005.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Here we are getting ready for our annual canoe trip on the Pere Marquette River. Happy to report that no one got wet! Now that we vacation without our kids the risk of a canoe tip over has just about completely ended!</span> </p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371016979071416450" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SomvfFAkuII/AAAAAAAAA00/XXB23MJz9FI/s320/Aug+2009+003.JPG" /><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">One of the bridges we passed under on our canoe trip.<br /></p></span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370759471492740290" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojFSKhjtMI/AAAAAAAAA0U/kqcjsc0Eslo/s320/Aug+2009+005.JPG" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Looking at these pictures, it seems like most of our time is spent on or in water doesn't it? That could explain why we purchased a couple of kayaks last week. Hopefully we'll be able to try them out this next weekend.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">And now for some odd things that we saw last week.......</span></div><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">First is this double decker outhouse. The upper level is for politicians and the lower level is for voters. At least that's what it says on the doors. Even if you shared the sentiment would you really put it on your <strong>front lawn</strong>???</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojFiXAP3gI/AAAAAAAAA0c/kaRStAnilts/s1600-h/July+2009+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370759749720595970" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojFiXAP3gI/AAAAAAAAA0c/kaRStAnilts/s320/July+2009+001.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">At least this "guard dog" is on a stretch of highway and not on someone's front lawn. It is however advertising a business. Kinda doesn't entice me in.<br /></span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370759101893423298" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojE8pqNsMI/AAAAAAAAA0E/XEkuzrBWqzM/s320/Aug+2009+002.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Then there's this cute little troll or gnome or whatever painted under a bridge that we've literally driven over hundreds of times and never seen before. Actually kind of cute don't you think??<br /></span><br /><div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojEeSa7PCI/AAAAAAAAAz0/Su5ekrwwXos/s1600-h/Aug+2009+004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370758580259208226" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SojEeSa7PCI/AAAAAAAAAz0/Su5ekrwwXos/s320/Aug+2009+004.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">And saving the best for last.......here is Tom at the beach. Yep we had a great time!<br /></span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370997607637287138" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/Somd3gyxgOI/AAAAAAAAA0s/VBpf9XNE2e8/s320/003.JPG" /></div></div><br /></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877652178968251332.post-13629766228673170802009-08-01T13:00:00.000-07:002009-08-01T13:10:13.184-07:00Ludington<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">We have just returned from a week in Ludington. It was Julie and her 5 kids and me. She reminded me daily that I am not as helpful as Steve and I really make no apologies for that. I also had 5 kids and have lived through it! More or less :~)</span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365057807483912546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSDpo6DwWI/AAAAAAAAAyc/hYysS-P-O30/s320/July+2009+019.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-family:arial;">We went to the West Michigan Fair one day and all the rides were a buck! So the kids and Julie rode all the rides they wanted to! Above they are on the Dizzy Dragon.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Below is Selah waiting her turn on the train. No one better take cuts in line in front of her!!<br /><br /></div></span><div align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365057997641232482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSD0tTGMGI/AAAAAAAAAyk/lA9vNNk1nfQ/s320/July+2009+021.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-family:arial;">Of course the big kids had to go to the "haunted house" (down the road from our place). The place gives me the creeps! But they like it and have to check each time to see if the bed frame has fallen out the window yet.<br /></span><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSGBGuc-dI/AAAAAAAAAzc/TM5yyVCUZSM/s1600-h/July+Ludington+2009+054.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365060409648544210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSGBGuc-dI/AAAAAAAAAzc/TM5yyVCUZSM/s320/July+Ludington+2009+054.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365060545514357378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSGJA3YwoI/AAAAAAAAAzk/Ge5jobMxMRg/s320/July+Ludington+2009+056.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:arial;">We also spent a day at the Ludington State Park. Here is Selah eating her lunch by the </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:arial;">Hamlin Lake dam.<br /></div></span><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSFN3BL0cI/AAAAAAAAAzU/rxzMwPAULCg/s1600-h/July+2009+066.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365059529258815938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSFN3BL0cI/AAAAAAAAAzU/rxzMwPAULCg/s320/July+2009+066.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Luke and Caleb.<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSFCdlmMnI/AAAAAAAAAzM/lWSBVHBrGfI/s1600-h/July+2009+053.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365059333453656690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSFCdlmMnI/AAAAAAAAAzM/lWSBVHBrGfI/s320/July+2009+053.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Alec jumping off a sand dune.</span><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSE2T6Ry7I/AAAAAAAAAzE/_Fa0dQ0GNgg/s1600-h/July+2009+059.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365059124697615282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSE2T6Ry7I/AAAAAAAAAzE/_Fa0dQ0GNgg/s320/July+2009+059.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The kids found a frog in lake Michigan. Here they are "playing" with the poor thing!<br /></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSEaJ17v6I/AAAAAAAAAy0/eaO_62bML4A/s1600-h/July+2009+041.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365058640958701474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSEaJ17v6I/AAAAAAAAAy0/eaO_62bML4A/s320/July+2009+041.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> I don't know why kids always have to dunk their heads in the lake but here is Selah taking her turn dunking.<br /></span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365061374413896850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSG5Qwb_JI/AAAAAAAAAzs/OMpE9epsb9o/s320/July+2009+046.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-family:arial;">And saving the best for last....here is Selah eating blueberries. Love the one stuck on her tooth!<br /></span><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSEOk655rI/AAAAAAAAAys/Ir4QddQrIbU/s1600-h/July+2009+037.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365058442068879026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAMFFKGywTc/SnSEOk655rI/AAAAAAAAAys/Ir4QddQrIbU/s320/July+2009+037.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div><br /></div></div>mor-morhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12551361575174439096noreply@blogger.com0