Just a quick note. Last night we spent many hours at dress rehearsal. The girls were just great. The show is non stop great dances. Sarah did a fabulous job. Check her out front and center just doing her thing. She does not hesitate for one minute. We did several quick changes and came back out to watch as much of the other girls as we could. Studio One does a fabulous job once again. The show is full of variety and very entertaining. The show starts all over again tonight at 7:00 in the Benton High School auditorium. All are invited.

Summer is Here.

Finally, school is out for the summer. Praise God! Time for fun and housework. My kids are not completely thrilled with that second part. I am ecstatic. This years schedule has been tough to keep up with. We are ready for a break and my house is ready for some attention.

The kids jumped right into the cold water of their grandparent's pool. I will not put a toe in until it warms significantly. The photo of Sarah was taken during the brief 5 minutes of full sun in Benton in months. I have had it with our weather. I've tried to lay out and get some sun for two months. It has either rained or been overcast every day. The sun peeks out only during the few hours a week I work. I will be going to the beach as white as the moon.

The Rowenta is just a shot of everyday life. We cleaned bedrooms and closets today. Happiness is an organized closet.

Currently reading- The Piano Teacher. I began this thinking it was a nice romance. It is actually about Hong Kong being invaded by the Japanese during WWII. I don't know how I keep getting these war stories. At the moment it is all about surviving. When things get that bad making it through alive is the only goal. I need something a bit lighter for the beach.

Fabulous

Sarah has a dance recital this Saturday night. It will be quite the show. She will be dancing in three different numbers. The ballet song will be Reflections this is Mulan theme song. The tap dance is sure to be my favorite. The song will be Love Shack by the B-52's. I love that song. I have watched her practice and it is CUTE! This is definitely my favorite costume. It matches her personality the best. The go-go boots are perfect. I tried to get pictures of the dance moves but I can't quite get it to work. The last dance is the jazz number. The song is Fabulous from Disney's High School Musical. Honestly, all the dances are great. I am very excited to watch them live. We will have a dress rehearsals Friday and perform on Saturday. Last year's showcase was very impressive. I know this one will be just as fabulous.

17th Anniversary

Today Mike and I celebrated 17 happy years together. I really should have a shot of us. We are both pretty camera shy. It didn't happen. We spent the morning working around the house and yard. Dinner was a wonderful treat. We enjoyed P.F. Changs minus the children. It was delicious. Next, we saw the new movie Terminator- Salvation. It was good. I felt lost in the beginning trying to figure who each character was. I have seen all of the Terminator movies but it has been a long time. This was the prequel to the series. The end did not thrill me. I can see them coming out with another movie. They left lots of room for another story. Mike is a big Christian Bale fan. He loved it of course. I jumped out of my seat a few times. The machines were scary. I think next year I'll pick a nice romance to see instead.

Plimoth Plantation

One of the places we visited in Boston was Plimoth Plantation. Talk about a step back in time. It is truly a living museum. Buildings are recreated complete with furniture and accessories. You can walk in and touch everything. The residents/employees are in character the entire time. They are extremely well educated on their subject. It was fascinating to watch them sew, cook, and garden. They happily visited as they worked, eager to answer any question.


The houses were very simple. Just the basics, a bed, a chair and a fireplace. The rest was a eclectic mix of things brought over on the ship. These books were on the shelf of the Governor's house. I was able to flip through them. The Bible of course and a book on English law were in excellent condition. The type was old script English and very hard to read.



I love this view from the top of the hill. What a treat to look out and see the ocean every day. We had a perfect day to tour. The sun was warm and the sky was clear and blue. You could feel the history with each step. These people worked hard for a very simple life. I really like electricity and love my hot water heater.

God is soooooo Good!

I still think he is going to be the next Stephen Curtis Chapman. I think his influence is going to be huge. I think God is alive and moving. Kris's witness begins with his roommate Adam. American Idol never mentioned his work in the missionary field. They can not believe anyone that humble is for real. I have been led to pray for him since Simon dissed his marriage. This song is one of my favorite contemporary worship pieces. I love the song, love Kris, and love the city.

Super Soccer

Saturday morning Soccer games were a cool part of our trip. Sarah absolutely loved riding bikes in the park near the fields with all the other kids. Cory was intense on the field. He went after that ball. Ted was of course a great coach. It was just a perfect sunny day to cheer for the kids. Lucy enjoyed the breeze and picked some dandelions.

I finished the latest book in the Sookie Stackhouse series today. Sigh, they just aren't long enough. What I have learned from Sookie. You really don't want to know what other people are thinking. Southern women are tough as nails yet graceful and well mannered. A strong work ethic and sense of self will get you through hard times. Family is always the top priority and greatly valued. Warning the series is grim and dark. The combination of comedy, romance, suspense, and fantasy genres blend seamlessly into one great read.

Stimulating the Economy.

During our trip to Boston, we did our part to improve America's retail sales. We visited many shops and restaurants. Sarah was thrilled to be able to shop at American Girl. The new store is very close to Ted's house. We enjoyed checking it out for ourselves. Shopping and lunch with the ladies is always a wonderful way to spend the day. I loved the shot of Mary Beth with her doll riding on her shoulders. Kristi and I also went to a large scrapbook convention. We shopped the latest and greatest with throngs of other scrappers. No pictures of that. I was to busy elbowing my way to the front of the line.

I like the angles of the skyline shot. I did not crop this one at all. The contrast between the old and new is really cool. Paint and brick against glass and metal. I think the building is Faneuil Hall. We tried to get into this building but arrived a little too late that night. There are so many historical buildings to tour.

Boston 2009

Sarah and I are back from another wonderful trip. I planned to post last night and just could not make it happen. I did manage to look at some of the many photos I took. There are so many I will post a few each day. Today we begin with the reason we went. Once or twice a year is just not enough time together. Sarah and Riley were two peas in a pod from the moment we arrived until the moment we left. Their conversation and activity stops only for a few hours sleep. I love this shot of the kids all together. This is what happens when several cameras are going at once. Still, each face has a great expression and the light is beautiful. The one with all of them looking at me was not quite as interesting. Look how thrilled Cory is to be posing on a real canon.




This photo was taken at twilight from the top of the Prudential building. It was a magnificent view. I saw several places I would love to go back and check out on the ground. There are so many cool things to see and do in the city. Photo opportunities are everywhere.



These stone fence/borders are everywhere. I love the look of them edging the landscape. You know they are very old and full of history. They line the road as you drive along. I just love them.

Our trip was great. We ate lots of great food. We had fun with our family and experienced American history. A big thank you to Ted and Kristi for everything.

Shoulder update- the MRI shows I have a small rotator cuff tear. I will see the orthopedic doctor next week to find out where we go from here.

Packed and ready to Go!

Sarah and I are all packed and ready for tomorrow's flight to Boston. We are going to see Ted and family tomorrow. It will be fabulous to see each one of them. It's always a challenge for me to pack. I am incapable of traveling light. The plane forces me to do that. Pray for good weather for the plane flight. Sarah and I are thrilled to be going.

Jamie had a year end band concert last night. They sounded great as usual. I very much look forward to hearing the jazz band next year. Jamie won a partial scholarship to band camp (aka - party with out the parents for one week) this summer. In this photo Jamie is completely obscured in the middle as usual. I am happy with this photo because that is one dark auditorium.

The Kris posters are Sarah's creation. She is fired up from the recent home town tour of Kris. The Arkansas crowds were huge! Tonight decides the final three. We can only hope. I will be voting tonight.

Mother's Day

Today was a lovely day. I enjoyed sleeping late and having a mostly lazy day around the house. Mike and the kids detail cleaned my car. It looks and smells wonderful. What a treat!! They found a missing item I have been looking for since we returned from Memphis. I received cards and crafts from everyone. I also got to order some cool camera accessories online. I can't wait to play with them. Mom and I went to a ladies lunch at her church on Saturday. We had a great time and a delicious lunch. I took a quick pic of the church. It has changed so much since I attended.

It is still raining here every day. It feels like winter not May. I have tried very unsuccessfully to get some sun before we head to Destin. It may not happen this year. I wish all the other Mom's out there a lovely day.

Spring Showers.

We have had some serious rain lately. The sun has just disappeared for the last 10 days. Last night a little after midnight I woke to the sound of a serious storm. The thunder was shaking the windows and the lightning was crazy. Sarah was already up and nervous. She has begun to be really afraid of any storm. The dogs were barking. So we were up for a while. It just kept on and on. The power went off. I kept waiting to hear a tree snap and fall. Much later we all went back to sleep. The teenager did not hear a thing. Sarah and I were dragging this morning. She had an orthodontist appointment at 8:30 in Little Rock. The flooding in central AR was so bad it took us over an hour to get there. Fortunately the Dr. still had time to see her. Of course this all made me very late for work.

On the way out of the neighborhood we noticed the rain washed away a section of fence in the neighborhood. This picture is from the first house as you enter. We walked down to take a look this afternoon. I also got this cute shot of the butterfly. The ever vigilant Sarah spotted him first.

The day ends on a wonderful note. Kris Allen made it to the final three on AI. Arkansas will have a huge homecoming for him. How cool is that? Go Kris.

You Go Girl.

This layout is for an online class I am doing. The prompt was to go green. I love this picture of Mary Beth. Very sweet. Now back to real life. Laundry and a million other things are calling my name.

NSD 2009

Today is National Scrapbook Day. May is also the National Scrapbook Month in case you were wondering. Pretty cool actually. The online community was full of freebies, classes and sales today. I did a few layouts to celebrate the occasion. I really like the one with Mike and Sarah.

Did you notice anything missing in Jamie's picture? This is his first week with contacts. Lots of memories came flooding back watching him at the optometrist office. I totally remember trying to get those things in and out way back in junior high. This is completely his decision. He has been offered contacts many times before. He chooses them now because he is blind as a bat without them. He knows he will be lost at the pool and beach without them. Seriously, his vision is terrible. The doctor said it is pretty extreme for his age. This is our third prescription in 18 months. I keep getting notes from the school and complaints from Jamie about his vision. People, the insurance only pays for one exam and pair of glasses per year. I guess it's the age. He is growing but it still seems extreme. I am still trying to figure out who he is every time I look at him. He also deserves a round of congratulations. He tried out for the junior high jazz band on the piano and made it. He will be one of two keyboardists. I can't wait to hear them perform. Jamie was thrilled to make it. His best friends will be in it also. James will play guitar.

We went to see the Wolverine movie today. It was good but it was pretty dark and violent. Much more so than the previous 3 X-Men movies. The theater was full of little kids. It was definitely not a little kid film. Hugh Jackman was of course excellent. Several scenes could have been deleted to improve the film. It was more depressing than fun.