More Thankfulness

Dear readers from wherever,

Thanks for following along with me as I've travelled down memory lane this past month, dug through some of my old history and recent life to be grateful for the people God has placed in my life. I've found old friends, rememberd some that I nearly forgot, found ways to be grateful for my failed attempts at relationships and even laughed at some of my own stupidity...LOL! Oy, that's what happens when ya start digging in the sands of time, right? Anywho, as I was gone over the weekend, I didn't have a chance to complete my own challenge...so I want to finish that now, if you don't mind. I'll start with my visit with EK and Linda and keep the last one for a surprise!

*EK and Linda~OH my, what FUN we had this weekend with them! How many friends do YOU have that rould drive 3 hours just to have lunch with you?? They drove from Tucson and we drove from Las Cruces....had lunch together, caught up with each other and played several rowdy sets of Dominoes...Good TIMES! We even found time to browse the downtown shops of Willcox, AZ, see the Rex Allen museum and get our picture taken where Warren Earp was shot...a busy day indeed! They filled us in on all of our friends from our home church in IL and we just laughed and carried on like old times! Ah, God is sooo good to suppply us with such great friends! So, we are extra thankful for them this weekend! Here are a few pics from that great trip!

OK and now for the lat one....drum roll please...............

***Dan, I know, he got top billing this month already a few times with being the first on the list and having a b-day, but he's my most favorite husband, best dad, great travelling companion and super Monkey, ever! We had SUCH a great time on our vacation this weekend...he is a trooper, doing all the driving, wrangling kids and still making time for lil' old me! He swerved around tumbleweeds to make the kids laugh, didn't get frustrated byt the long hours behind the wheel and even was kind enough to allow us to eat out after our return so the vacation feeling would last! Is he great or what?? He helped Derek climb the huge rocks at the City of Rocks state park, played dominoes with EK and Linda, fixed the DVD player so the kids could watch movies, reminded me a time or two that it was a vacation for the kids too, so they could have a bit more candy, took the day off so we could go at all, and then took the kids to the park on Sunday so I could enjoy a few minutes of quiet...seriously...he ROCKS! Anywho...all in all, he's a great guy and I'm sooo glad that he picked me! Well, I chased him until he caught me, but that's another story...LOL!

Thanks again for reading this from wherever you are....give yourselves a big hug or a high five from us out here in the wilds of NM....

Blessings,

Kristy

Props to the Man

Hey, didn't get a chance to post this yesterday but wanted to just shout out a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweet hubby, DAN. He turned 34 years old yesterday and I was glad. Glad that he managed not to get killed in a freak work accident like his brother did during his 33rd year, Glad that he is a great dad, a super hubby and a great son,friend, brother, SIL and BIL, and GLAD that he decided to turn his life around. My Dan ROCKS! Big hugs to you, my love! Hope your birthday was happy and there were no freak attacks by the mad monkey....LOL!
~Babygirl~

Simple Woman's Daybook

Sorry Ladies and Gents~
There will be no post for this week...I'm simply too busy and too far behind on other things to do this today...I'll try again next week. THE END...see, I can write a short post.
Yeah, me
~K~

A Few Catch Up Posts

Well, I"m a few days late, but I'm gonna combine a few people and call it a day...hope they don't mind!! **George...I figure if I wrote about Tom, then I need to write about the others, right?? To be honest, even though George and I only dated just under 6 months, he probably had the biggest impact on my life. We were that couple that really should have never dated, but couldn't seem to help ourselves...LOL! We were such great friends, but spent most of our time fighting while we were dating. I learned alot about personal boundaries and where exactly my comfort zone really was while dating George. George introduced me to following my heart and not just doing what made other people happy. He taught me to enjoy myself in a way that other people hadn't. As with Tom Anderson, I still consider George a friend although we don't run in the same circle anymore. George is a great person....a son that tries hard to take care of his family and parents, and a great dad. He knows how to have a good time and loves to laugh, a deep hearty chuckle like his dad and a most delightful sound. Anywho, enough about George...love ya buddy! **Jason...Well what to say about Jay?? As most of you know, our relationship ended less than amiably...LOL! But, I can still find things to be grateful for...I CAN! I learned what I'm willing to put up with in a relationship and what I WILL NOT! I learned about misplaced loyalty, trusting blindly and sadly, that I'm far more defiant and willful than I'd like to admit. I learned that loving his family is NOT enough to hold together a relationship an that you can't make something work by sheer will power..I TRIED, I did! I learned to stand on my own two feet in that relationship and that there are worse things than being alone...LOL! I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression about Jay, we had lots of good times together during our dating, but he was not the guy that God had in mind for me and it took me longer to listen than it should have. OUCH, that's embarrassing to write! Dang...I need to stop writing...too much introspection involved! Anywho, Jay is still a person that I catch up with from time to time and I'm glad to report that is well and happy. His parents are having him slowly remodel the whole house...and it looks good. Hugs to you, my friend! **Carl Zegan...Although I never officially dated him, we did go on a few dates. OOO, I was goo goo over him (Gosh, I hope he doesn't read this...LOL) Well, when I was 16 and he was 23...he was sooooo mature and sweet and cool! We always had such fun together...as we are both pretty funny. He always said that I was as sweet as peaches (insert evil laugh here...Muahahahaha) shows how much he knows, right?? Just kidding! As I got older and dating him became "more appropriate" we were going different directions and hanging in different circles and it became evident that he was not the one for me either. As of my last chat with him, he was still very much single and wishing for the right girl to come along. He is an honorable son who cares for his parents and extended family deeply, is an elder at his church and sells insurance, as well as running a 'green/homeopathic' website to teach people about green healthcare that God provided us without the "help" of western medicine. It's a great little site full of helpful advice and many great links...but I can't remember the name of it right now...sorry! Anyhow...Carl is still a good freind of mine and we catch up regularly. Carl, miss ya buddy! Blessings to all of these and you who read this mess! Kristy

Pat is a Flipper!

Pat is our middlest of middle children...hee hee! He is 10, wild, loud and crazy, and a handful. I've always said that Pat was born to keep me humble about my parenting skills and BOY is he good at it...LOL! Actually, he is getting so mature that it blows me away some days. ANYWAY, Pat is great on the trampoline and getting better all the time. At the end, I'll add a video of his newest trick, those of you with weak constitutions should look away...ha ha! Pat is thriving at home, learning so much and starting to show a real interest in big cats. He just reads and reads and reads about them. He got a big cat National Geographic movie for his birthday and loves to watch it. We call him the "Baby Whisperer" because Titus loves him best of all the boys. He LOVES to take care of him...feeds him, carries him around all the time, and will even change cloth diapers. Pretty impressive if you ask me! Pat is also becoming quite the baker...his peanut butter kiss cookies are WAY better than mine and Thursday he made a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies that were delicious with no supervision at all. WOW! He loves to be in the kitchen, in the garage and outside...just not at his desk. But the beauty of homeschool is that school can go to those places, and he can still learn. Ha, we were laughing the other day about math being everywhere...he was working on some of his math skills while playing darts with Dan...LOL! Well, it's time for that video....check him out...quite the Flipper...that's a back flip with FULL twist...ZOIKS!! Where did he learn THAT?? Way to go, Pat!!
Love, Mama ; )

Chasing My Own Tail

Greetings from sunny and warm NM! Another week has FLOWN by and I find myself wondering where it all went. We had a good week of school...especially since we decided to only do 3 day weeks and just read on the other days. They boys are enjoying the extra 'free' time, although I keep filling it up with chores. I have figured out how to make up a huge batch of bread dough and only baking up what we need for a few days and freezing the rest, that way I can just take out a loaf or two as needed, let it rise in the pan and poof, none of the hassle of mixing up bread dough each day...yeah! That is saving me some extra time so I made sweet rolls this week and I think they are the best batch I ever made! YUMMY!!

Dan is eagerly anticipating his birthday this week (as are mom and Lily) and game night/b-day party will be on Wednesday so that we aren't missing game night to go visit EK and Linda over the weekend...ROAD TRIP! Late Tuesday night, Alec will arrive and we are so excited about seeing the red haired wonder again...it's been too long, as it has with most of you. Speaking of which, I need to practice Guitar Hero today...LOL! Most of this week, I have been poring over my new book called 'Managers of Their Homes' and working on my schedule. Still haven't gotten very far, but I will get there! I'm excited about putting some more order to our days and squeezing a bit more productivity out of our hours. I've spent hours researching exactly what I need from Abeka for next school year and also researching My Father's World stuff since their Science, History, Art, Music and Bible curriculum are all in one, PLUS multi-grades in one, so I can teach one class each day and cover James, Pat and David all at once. For Derek's pre-K year coming up, I'll be doing mostly lapbooks and writing my own curriculum (how is it that he's ready for this already...isn't he still a baby??) Anyway, that's where most of my week went. Dan spent all of last weekend working a side job that he bartered his services for so that he could have that HUGE new fishtank. He even bought 20 new fish yesterday for it and it still looks almost empty...LOL!

I need to catch up on my daily thankful Blog for my Feb challenge...since Game night was last night I missed one...just a reminder...those are in NO PARTICULAR order (Winks, Kelly) so if you are last, doesn't mean I love you the least, OK?? I love you all and miss you, too~ Have a great week, loved ones!!

Blessings,

Kristy

Dennis and Beccy Winn

Well, I could write a novel about these two wonderful people! They sort of wandered into our lives many, many years ago as a VERY poor, barely out of college couple that needed a place to work on their car, so Dad offered his garage. Mom quickly realized that they were buying car parts with their grocery money and fed them...and the rest is history. ; ) They were at that great age when they were old enough to be friends of our parents and yet young enough to still seem cool to us kids...LOL! They lived not that far from us and we spent almost as many hours at their house as they did at ours...they both lived away from their families, so we became their new family. I remember being in utter AWE of them as they seemed to know just about everything! I'm sure our parents got REALLY tired of hearing..."But Dennis and Beccy said......." Dennis was always fun to have around, loves to laugh and yet has a very sensitive heart for people. Beccy knew where to go looking for a bargain, run the church office, burp the baby, make dinner and still be playing a board game with us all without getting edgy or flustered....oh the time I've wasted trying to be her...(don't tell, OK??) LOL! They have 3 lovely boys, Jonathan, James and Jordan, all who are brainiacs like their parents, well mannered, (not sure where THAT came from) and love the Lord. Can parents ask for anything more?? Beccy introduced us to the crunchy notion of home birth and cloth diapers and I am glad that I was exposed to that at a young age. Watching them cling to each other and to the Lord after the death of their first baby was a lesson I won't ever forget. Goodness, we used to love to watch them bicker over answers for Trivial Pursuit..they used to challenge the answers on he back of the card...LOL! My favorite childhood vacation was with them, going to visit the St. Louis arch, going to their parents house, riding the inner tube behind the boat...good times with great friends! MANY happy hours were spent at Great America when Beccy would take us while Mom was working, wonderful memories of 'helping' them decorate their Christmas trees, paint the house, whatever they were doing, we wanted to be doing it too. We were BLESSED to call them friends, and to have their influence in our lives...and for that, I'm grateful!
D and B, I miss you guys soo much! Hope our lives cross paths again soon!
Kristy

Kelly, This One is ABOUT You!

Kelly on the left, Jodi on the right and me in the middle where I belong...LOL!


~~As opposed to the one titled, "Kelly, This One is FOR You."..LOL! Well, according to Jodi, I lie about all these people and make them sound wonderful (does that mean she doesn't think they are wonderful??) ...sooooo, what do you want me to say about you? Hee hee! Anywho, enough silliness, let's get down to business. Kelly, you are a great sister! Old enough to offer advice since you've already been there and done that, but young enough to still be relevant ; ) Fun enough to want to spend time with, and practical enough to clip coupons with! Goodness, I am having so much fun with these...trying to really pinpoint my fave qualities about my peeps...LOL! Well, funny, and loyal seem to always make the list and you are both of those in abundance. A great story teller is usually at the top of the list and you do that well, also...as if any child of Dad's couldn't tell a great story...LOL! Gracious...let's see here...we both love to scrap, chase kiddos, our hubbies and the occasional stray dog, shop for a bargain with our gal pals and spend a happy day buried in a pile of books. We have all those things in common, and although we also have differences (such as you being concrete random and I'm SOOO concrete sequential) we seem to compliment each other. Isn't that a funny little coinkidink?? Man, what I wouldn't give for some chex mix, the Monopoly game board and a few hours to share with you...*sigh* or a full day to hit all the OUAC stores for 100 miles...gosh, I miss those trips! I miss your kiddos, your hospitality, your pretty flowers and your scrapbooking prowess! OK, well according to B, I'm getting old and sappy so I better stop before I get mocked anymore...LOL! I'm sooo glad that you are coming to visit us soon, the Monopoly board is waiting!

Rusty Martin

Rusty was my youth pastor for MOST of my youth group years. I started with Bruce and Karen Kozman, suffered for a short time under Mike and Angie McCarthy and finally landed safely in the leadership of Rusty. He and his wife Janet has two sweet little boys, Andrew was adopted and Timmy was born about a year after that...funny how that works sometimes...right? Anyway, Rusty was a great leader...the kids loved him and the parents were either afraid of him or hated him...LOL! That man knew how to command our attention and keep it, just enough fun to keep up coming back and enough seeds being sown that we flourished and grew under his leadership. We grew not only in numbers, but in personal depth of character. For example, we spent one happy summer studying the beatitudes, which we named the 'Lettuce' Attitudes...you know, let us be kind, let us be merciful, etc...and so to start each evening, we would play volleyball with a head of lettuce until we were just throwing around the core and then we would sing praise songs that led into worship songs, which quieted us down and got us in the right mindset for a lesson, then we discussed prayer requests, took them to the Lord and then hit the books. Then out for ice cream to keep us coming back. ; ) I know why the parents feared him..he was a powerful influence on their kids right at the age when parents already feel like they are losing control anyway and we were a loyal group of teenagers. As an adult, I can see the horror of your young teenagers coming home from a concert in downtown Chicago and then regaling you with tales of running down dark deserted alleys between buildings at 1 am...yikes! But we were too young, too trusting and too stupid to worry about the dangers...we were just running! LOL! Oh my, what a happy little jog down memory lane I'm having! I used to babysit for his two sweeties all the time...in fact, I think I'm scarred for life from it...LOL! He would call me from the corner gas station and say, "Your mom said that you could watch the kids overnight. I'll be there in 5 minutes, be ready..." To this day, I keep my overnight travel kit packed and ready to go...LOL! Maybe I DO need therapy after all...LOL! I haven't seen Rusty in just about 1/2 of forever, but I keep him near me always in my heart. When I graduated from High School, he and Janet gave me a small book called Precious Bible Promises. It's just a small book of scripture quotes under headings so that you can find them more easily...that book has brought me GREAT comfort during the years since high school. Not just the verses, although they are wonderful loving promises from God above, but I can always feel Rusty's love and affection for me as I read those words of wisdom. Oh dear, I AM getting old and emotional...someone shoot me!! Anywho, all of that to say that Rusty was such an influence in my life that although I haven't seen him for over 10 years, I still think of him almost daily. Rusty...thanks for letting me use the Valarie to learn how to drive in the snow...sorry I messed up the tranny...oops! Donuts in the church parking lot with a foot of snow, is there anything more fun than that with a real wheel drive car?? Ah, yes...the good old days! **Sigh** I don't miss them as much as you might think :winks::
Little Miss Kristy
PS. I don't have a pic of him in the computer, but imagine a sorta gringo/Mexican dude with super bowed legs and a puffy black fro...that's about him...LOL

Kermit...the Man, not the Frog ; )

Kermit...hmm, where to start?? Kermit is married to the wonderful and glorious Miss Candy, which makes him alright in my book, obviously he has good taste...LOL! Kermit is one of my fave guys, due to growing so much in the Lord and just maturing as a man. He's my 'go-to' success story for NOT blaming your rotten upbringing for your present lame lifestyle. Kermit's growing up years were tough...really pretty bad as far as childhoods go. BUT, he's grown to love his wife and kids the way God calls us to do...sacrificially and all the time! He is loyal, FUNNY, a man of God, ran the AWANA program at our home church for 5 years, helped lead the youth for a while, is leading boy scouts now and LOVING it, been my employer, my friend, my helper when Dan wasn't really in that mode for a time, and a source of a Godly male influence for my boys when they didn't have one. I truly could practically write a book about Kermit, but first, he's DIE of embarrassment and second, trying to catch up and I KNOW he will forgive me for keeping it short. Love you, Kermit!!

The Mighty Miss Kristy

Dolli-Gator

Hopefully Dolli will forgive me for posting her nickname for the whole world to see, and will still let me see the baby...LOL! Dolli is the first niece that I ever really got to know. She ROCKS! She is only about 8 years younger than me so it's kinds like sister/niece, but that makes it fun! She loves to laugh, goof off, shop, hang out and chat, and play with the kiddies. On game night, we would have soo much fun laughing and being silly together. She was Dan's lifting buddy after Ryan was born and the 2 of them probably got more of a workout from laughing than anything else. (awww!) She is doing a great job of being a good mom to Ryan and working hard at being a good wife to John as well and I'm proud of them both. I could go on and on, but again, (please forgive me) I'm trying to catch back up on this so this is an abbreviated version of her wonderful qualities. Oh, and one I almost forgot to mention....she is a GREAT daughter. No mom has ever been loved as well and as much by a daughter.

Hugs, Gator!
Auntie K

Charlie~ AKA my man, Charlie

OK, not the BEST pic of him ever, BUT in case you can't read the shirt, it wasys, "I'm not TRYING to be difficult, it comes naturally"....and that is just SOOO Charlie! LOL


For whatever the reason, that's what my dad calls him...it's not just plain Charlie, it's My Man Charlie...LOL! I admire the sentiment behind that. I have really developed an affection for Charlie since we moved here. Devin's mom passed away just a few hours after Devin was born and Charlie has raised him alone and that boy is sweet, well mannered, kind and thoughtful. Takes a good man to raise a boy like that. He's honest about the mistakes he's made in his life, tells a great Carl story (LOL) and plays a mean hand of cards....Oh my gravy, I'm making myself laugh! He came over a cooked my birthday dinner so that I could have the day off from kitchen duty, that's a great man right there!! As with most people that I"m thankful for, he is FUNNY, loyal and someone you can depend on in a pinch. He and Dan are great buddies and the boys just adore him and get so excited when he is coming over...when they hear the motorcycle roaring from about 3 blocks away, they are all outside waiting when he pulls up...LOL! Charlie, no disrespect meant, but I"m trying to catch up so yours is a bit shorter than some...I hope you still love me...LOL


Kristy

Simple Woman's Daybook

Link to Peggy's site for those who enjoy this setup and want to view others of the same type.

FOR TODAY February 17, 2009, yes, I'm late by a day...LOL

Outside my window...it is warm and sunny and the world is blooming again, hurray for spring!

I am thinking...that life is good, and God is GREAT ALL THE TIME

I am thankful for...Money back from taxes, a wedding in my son's future, new schoolbooks on the way soon, chats that make life seem easier, and happy~healthy~homeschooled boys!

From the learning rooms...a relaxed schedule for the rest of the year, I realized that we've been going TOO FAST...how funny is that, so we can do 3 day workweeks for the rest of the year and take a decent vacation during that time as well...WooHoo!! From the kitchen...Bread is rising, Pork roast is thawing for dinner and the dishes are DONE...I'm ridiculously happy about that.

I am wearing...work out clothes so that I stay in the mindset of activity all day

I am creating...a healthier, slimmer me sometime in the near future

I am going...to work tonight, and a late night grocery shopping adventure after that...anyone up for Walmart at 2 am??

I am reading...Managers of their Homes...I wish I would have found this book years ago...getting organized and scheduled so that my days are more productive and my evenings are more relaxed

I am hoping...that Dan likes what I got for his birthday next week

I am hearing...Titus finishing off a bottle, Horton hears a Who, the dishwasher, the dryer and the washer doing my work for me...LOL!

Around the house...I need to straighten the laundry room shelves, babyproof the girl room, find the gate, keep up with the laundry and dishes now that I am caught up, and find time to take a deep breath once in a while...LOL

One of my favorite things...labor saving devices...LOL! Ovens, running water, Dishwashers, laundry machines, vacuums..etc!! I use my each and everyday, lovingly and with deep gratitude!

A few plans for the rest of the week...getting ready for Alec's visit next week, b-day cards in the mail, Dan's b-day prep, ordering the new curriculum once the tax money comes in and ordering Dan's other b-day gift also.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Here is a picture of Dan's new FREE HUGE fish tank! Remind yourself that Dan is OVER 6 feet tall and so is his arm span...LOL

David is a Gem!

Well, some people wouldn't be that grateful for their kids being around and underfoot all the time, but I am. My kids ROCK! David is my 11 year old and he is super cool! He LOVES all things Pokemon, video game and sports related. He is born on a special day, too. He was born on the one year anniversary of his Uncle David's tragic death in an on the job accident. So even though it started as a bad, sad day, it's now a happy day each year. He LOVES to play outside and especially on his bike or on the trampoline. He and the neighborhood boys could happily spend all day just riding up and down the street. He is a dare devil and will try just about anything someone can think up...which has caused a few gray hairs on my head. ; ) He is loving, affectionate and sensitive also. His wife is gonna be so blessed! He is already eating like a teenager and is in the middle of a growth spurt which means its a good thing I get a discount at Kohl's since he needs new pants again...hee hee. He is enjoying the lap book project we are working on about historic inventors and wrote a 6 page paper about his invention, some super-duper mixed handheld super computer/video game doodad. Yes, 6! He also is a great helper with the little ones, Derek and T just adore him and James would happily follow him around all day. He is in the 6th grade this year and doing well. Life is David is usually sunny, as he is cooperative and easy to get along with. I just adore having him around all day!

Love you, son!

Mama

Catch up Time Again

My goodness, has ANOTHER week flown right on by?? Wow, I'm so not ready to be done with this week and at the same time, I'm relieved it's over, does that make sense? It's been another long, somewhat stressful week...you know, school getting derailed several times due to interruptions, my very first (and thankfully, really short) migraine, my house is trashed, anxiously awaiting results from the Dr, and having to have a difficult and humbling chat with Jodi that involved ME admitting I needed a bit of help here and there...don't die of shock...yes, I KRISTY, asked for help. **GASP** On the other hand, several things went really, really well this week...Karen and I had TWO coffee and chat mornings this week, Dolli and John bought a house in Cali that is LOVELY, my chat with Jodi went very well, I officially became UBER~crunchy (ask if you want to know,) my bread baking skills have survived the test of a month's time and the boys are still asking for it daily and Dan brags about it at work, I am really enjoying the pastor's sermon series on the New Testament's Double Dog Dare about living the radical Christian life, I got my book in the mail "Managers of Their Homes" a book series designed specifically for the Christian homeschooling family, and Dan and I had a fun evening last night, just catching up with one another and goofing off. Ahh, life is good! I am sooo enjoying doing my daily blogging about people that I'm grateful to have in my life. Pat got a turtle, in case you missed that short update, and it driving me crazy trying to drag it out 83 times a day. Anywho, all in all, life is full and busy, but wonderful. On Monday, I go back to the Dr to see what's going on inside of my wacky body...LOL! School will resume after this short break, Dan is doing a small side job this weekend in exchange for a HUGE fish tank, and life goes on. Anywho, many things to look forward to, Alec's visit at the end of the month, Dan's b-day, Mom and Lily's b-day, a visit with EK and Linda, and hopefully soon a visit from Kelly...yeah!! Thanks for stopping by to catch up with us MeYeR's again this week. Ta Ta For Now!
Kristy

Jodi Bug

Jodi, Jodi, Jodi...where to start?? Well, about 31 years ago now, my parents introduced me to this strange little wrinkled creature and said these life altering words..."Come and look at your new baby sister." LOL! And there hasn't been a dull moment since! Life with Jodi is fun because she likes to have fun, make new friends and have great adventures. She loves to laugh, to sing and to be silly. She lives with us these days and although it isn't perfect, it does suit both of our needs. She gets free childcare from me, and she gets free headaches from my boys. I get another girl in the house and I also get two more boys to play with, clean up after and run around with....and to get headaches from, too...LOL! We have already decided that in our 'new' house...(note: this house only is real in our heads)...we will have a scrap room, a sewing room, a girl room, a computer room and a office...and all of these will be BOY-FREE zones...hee hee! She is directing the local preschool and LOVING it...nobody organizes and delegates like Jodi. Now, if she could just get Lupe (the owner) to quit hovering over her and micro-managing...*sigh*. Anywho, Jodi is probably the most musically talented one of us...she got Mom's voice and Dad's rhythm, so music and the arts are her thing. Not sure if she shared this on her blog yet, but if she didn't, act surprised when she does...but she won a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) award for The Dark Knight. It's SSSOOOO cool! She really seems to like it here, she loves the warm weather and has even taken off her coat several times...hee hee. Anywho, my life was irrevocably altered on that day so long ago...but it's good thing! Love ya, Jo!

Kristy

Candy is so Sweet!

Sorry, Candy, I just couldn't resist! LOL! Candy is my other best friend. In fact, my 2 best friends are sisters and I happen to be blessed enough that they don't mind sharing me! Candy is a wonderful, Christian woman and I am honored to call her a friend. We have shared many a laugh and a few tears together over the years. She is married to the charming Kermit, who just happens to be one of my favorite men in the whole world...a post about him some other time...and the mother of some of my fave kids on the planet, too. ANYWHO, back to Candy, whose real name is Andrea, she is just great! Passionate, exuberant, funny, wise and a great cook, this gal rocks. She is my go-to gal if I am searching for something in the Bible, advice about my sometimes interesting marriage, or just someone to chat with over a cup of tea. We have attended the same church for years, been in Sunday School together, served on committees together, led AWANAs together, and it's always been a real joy. I have been her nanny for years and miss her children dearly since the move to NM. I've learned so many things from Candy about loving when it isn't easy, to just keep taking things to the Lord no matter how much I'm tempted to worry and fret, about growing your marriage even if it seems like you are the only one working on it, sticking up for myself and so many other things. We ALWAYS have fun together. Some of my fave memories are of Candy, Liz and I out on a bargain hunt for kids clothes 2x a year....oh my goodness, the adventures we had! Also all the fun times we had while scrap booking together while the kids were home with the hubbies...LOL! Oh my, I'm about to get melancholy....Candy, I miss you so much that I physically ache sometimes...can't wait to see you this summer!!
Hugs and Smiles,
Kristy

The Red Headed Wonder

Alec...where to start?? I met Alec YEARS ago, right after the Bean boys became part of our lives. Ricky wanted to invite him to spend the night, but I was a bit leary since I'd heard stories about his antics. So the invitaion was given with strict stipulations that if he was a problem, not only would Alec have to go, but so would Ricky...and then we waited. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but Alec was NOT it...LOL! He was a model of good behavior, with yes ma'am and no sir left and right. LOVELY! Now, that being said, once I got to know Alec better, I got to see more of his mischievous nature in action. How many people get away with SPANKING another student while in high school?? I love that story. ; ) As most of my treasured friends are, Alec is a fantastic story-teller. The sparkle of mischief in his eyes as he shares this story is contagious...LOL! Anywho, I've gotten the privilege of knowing Alec over the past few years and what a gem he is! Lively, opinionated, the only 17 year old I've ever met that can eloquently discuss politics, charming, a real card shark, sensitive, and that mop of red hair! He is honest, a loyal friend, a great listener, a growing Christian, and a FUNNY, funny guy. Now, lest you think he's without flaw, he DOES love that wretched screen door music....you know, the kind that hurts your ears from 3 cars away?? LOL! But, he plays a mean guitar solo and he RULES at Guitar Hero! He is coming to visit us at the end of the month and I am so excited to see him again, it's been way too long. I'm sure he needs a haircut, which he generally only allows me cut the prized red mane. YEAH, me! He has sort of adopted us and the feelings are mutual. Alec, we miss you, can't wait to see you and LOVE you!!

Ever Yours,

Mama K

Aerosmith fans!

Those who know me know that I'm not a huge rock~n~roll fan, but I do admire talent when I see it, especially when done in the 'right' venue. Anywho, I found this youtube video of Steven Tyler from Aerosmith singing "Amazing Grace" in church....it's really good. Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjogu3Uk9Fs Hope you enjoyed it!
Kristy

Jim and Carlye

Jim and Carlye Rhyne are members of our "home church" and are wonderful, wonderful people. They work with the youth group, are on most committees in the church, are always helping others, and are lots of fun to boot! When our young couples group was meeting, I always looked so forward to whatever wild tale Jim would be telling and hope I could sneak a peek at Carlye in time to catch her rolling her eyes...LOL! Jim is several years older than Carlye and is as talkative and gregarious as she is shy and quiet....in fact, I bet my parents were lots like them in the early days of their marriage. The had a baby last year that they named Haley and she is the prettiest little thing ever! So quiet and sober...always watching to see what is going on. Oh, how I miss those little cheeks! Anywho, they are encouraging, FUN, and true servants of the Lord and I'm blessed to know them and count them as friends. They care for the church body in a way that most people have forgotten how to do....selflessly. OK, favorite Jim story...LOL! You're gonna love this! At one of our young couples get togethers...we were doing what we always did, trying to one-up each other with stories of the stupid stuff we did in our younger days...and during this particular session Jim won with this story...Once upon a time, when he was young and (apparently very) foolish, he was speeding and got pulled over and as the cop is handing him a ticket, he asked Jim, "What were you doing going 103 miles an hour, anyway??" To which Jim ever so politiely replied, "Slowing down!" LOL! He is a great story teller so it doesn't really jump off the page like it should, but I just LOVE that story...LOL! ::Giggles::

Jim and Carlye, I miss our friendship and the laughs. Can't wait to see you this summer!

Blessings,

Kristy