LOOK OUT WORLD HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!

And they SURVIVED!!!!!

Brittney became very close to some Pre-teen girls at our church when she was teaching them in a bible study. I've gotten to know them as Brittney's super cool mom!!!! Brittney et girls planned a shopping spree - and invited super cool along. Now you must picture 5 pre-teen/early teen girls shopping at the mall for 4 hours on Sunday the first couple of hours included 3 teen boys, a teen girl & a college girl - you picturing it? Well let me say it was an experience that was a both awesome - scarry and FUN! (For some reason unknown to me Randy opted out of this shopping spree - and for the same unknown reason Julie volunteered to walk into it with eyes wide opened!!!!)

Basic Highlights:

1. Watching the girls try on prom dresses (Parents watch out in a few years you are in trouble!) - Pictures to be posted - less Renee who had to leave early!
   
2. Seeing the different personalities manifest theirselves in such different ways. i.e.
   
   Courtney - loves being with people PERIOD - doesn't matter what your doing People and Peachie O's are her passion! (C - Hey girl you crack me up. You are awesome! But I'm still not sure "Who you think you are")
   
   Allie - loves people and is very aware of everyones feelings and if they're having fun and does everything in her power to make sure they are! Cool Strawberry Shortcake Phone Cover for this girl! (A - Call me anytime Peanut Butter & Jelly want to go shopping - or Peanut Butter and anyone - I like playing dress up with you)
   
   Renee - even having to leave early I discovered she's outgoing in a safe environment - Ryan may disagree with me but she didn't seem to be a pesty little sister even during the time spent with a few of the older youth! (R - Ooops I told you - you could have my eggroll and I ate it - I owe you an eggroll!)
   
   Tayler - quiet shy - worries about hurting peoples feelings to a self sacrificing way - (T -I still think you should have gotten the sweatshirt if you wanted it! You must learn to say Stranger Danger louder in order to be safe!)
   
   Sarah - Sarah is outgoing - a blast probably the one most like I was at that age. No Beth that does not mean you should ground her for life now. (I still think that the skirt needed a few more inches added to it! I'm glad you didn't buy it :)
   
3. Making sure Tayler & Sarah knew how to cry "Stranger Danger" "Your not my Daddy" while we were in the bathroom since they didn't want to go with us. Sarah actually would have been okay - now Tayler you must learn to SPEAK LOUDLY!!!!!
4. Being considered as COOL - Tayler was talking about "Grandma jewelry" then it dawned on her I was a Grandma and she apologized but it made me feel great that she didn't think of me as "OLD" you know!!
5. Not having enough time to work the whole mall was a downside
6. I loved having Girls who knew what they liked and disliked in a store and were strong enough to say I'm not interested in going into Ambercromby (sp?) I don't like their messages! (I personnally was stunned over the jeans with wholes in the knee's grease splattered on them and holes up by the pocket that were on sale for $80.00.......hello does someone actually buy those?)
7. Food courts make the best food selections for a group of 12 to be happy and for the most part the kids made healthy choices - lots of chicken at our table.

Okay I'm sure Brittney will add her own comments but I did have fun and WE DID SURVIVE!

Why Blog?

The question has been asked, Why Blog? First let’s see what Dictionary.com defines Blog as.

4 entries found for blog.
Main Entry: blog Definition: to author an online diary or chronology of thoughts Etymology: 1999-2004; abbr. of Weblog

Source: Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.6)Copyright © 2003-2005 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC


Main Entry: blog Part of Speech: noun Definition: an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log Example: Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author. Etymology: shortened form of Weblog

Source: Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.6)Copyright © 2003-2005 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC


Main Entry: weblog Part of Speech: noun Definition: a personal Web site that provides updated headlines and news articles of other sites that are of interest to the user, also may include journal entries, commentaries and recommendations compiled by the user; also written web log, Weblog; also called blog

Source: Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.6)Copyright © 2003-2005 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC
blog
n : a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies [syn: web log]
Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University



I personally like the 2nd one,

“An online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log”

This allows family, friends and even those who just find it interesting to keep up with things in your life, church, or family. Twila keeps up with a church group from Tallahassee, FL. They had an interesting bicycle trip recently. The pastor also relates stories about mission trips. Twila has found on more than one occasion that God has spoken to her through someone elses posting and since she has to work and cannot attend the women's Bible Studies (that all seem to be scheduled during normal business hours) it is a way to have a quick word shared with fellow believers at work.

On a personal note, I recently found it a great place to vent my fears of getting back on my bicycle after falling and breaking my collar bone. I received support from family that otherwise wouldn’t have know about my fears.

Others have found it a place to write their novels, not every writer gets published, but it’s a way they can write and be able to have strangers read their stories and comment on them.

My brother uses it to keep others updated on his move from Southern California to Oregon, while most won’t care anything about this, it’s nice for the family and I’m sure there are those out there who have experience the same or are looking to move in the future. Maybe his experience will help them.

I guess what I’m saying is that I find the time spent blogging worth it for me and my family. It’s not for everyone, so enjoy what is for you!

I Want to Ride My Bicycle, Bicycle

Well Randy is back on the bike. He has missed it - and yet was worried about getting back on the trail that he could get hurt again. RC, Eric & Randy went out again this past Saturday - due to our wonderful Rain fall this year the off-road trail was closed so they road the paved. Boy did he come back exhilirated! So we are back in the mode of eating, breathing, sleeping, talking bikes. (I know there are worse things that he could be obsessed with - like gambling, women, drinking........so I'm thankful for the passion that I have to compete with.)

Here's a quote from Lance Armstrong, a fellow Texan I might add! One that I think was kind of funny considering the injury Randy just bounced back from....

"It's more secure, but it's not final. We have to be safe and know there's still tough days to come," Armstrong said after finishing a solid seventh in Sunday's 15th stage. "You never know, you go to a village and take a turn too fast and break your collarbone ... Tour de France over. So you have to be realistic. We have a week to go and a lot of things can get in the way."

Enough said!

It's Official I'm OLD

I remember when I was a kid and my Aunt Bertha used to have to leave from visiting early so she could "rest" before bed. "Rest" before bed was one of the weirdest things I ever heard of @ that time. Now I guess I have reached the "Old" stage because I now have to rest before bed in order to sleep. We had the boys Sunday evening while Britt & RC went to biblestudy (the boys usually go with them but AC had had a rough day - he got up whining and it went down hill from there) anyway they didn't get there until after 9 to pick them up and it was after 11 before I was unwound enough to actually sleep. Normally I don't get that wound up with the boys here but I had a headache and they were already "fighting" with each other for our attention so it was a kind of long evening. Trace was extremely accident prone (which was a change from lunch because at lunch AC bumped his head like 3 times) and AC had a dry unproductive cough so it was kind of a rough evening. But it was also fun - when else can I play Rescue Hero's, Fireman, victim that needs to be rescued by two of the cutest fireman, and a dead person all in one 30 minute period?

The weekend wasn't a real restful one which has made the last couple of days harder - Friday night was WOW which means late night getting home - then Saturday Brittney called for her and the boys to come hang out due to the Tornado warnings from hurricane Dennis, which trying to answer the phone I stumped my toe - which means I answered the phone with a scream not "Hello" poor Brittney (I do think her hearing is returning!) Then they came over and hung out for the day. AC spent the night and then we went to see Ethan be baptized by his father (which was a learning experience in it's self - any sound men that are reading this should note - turn off microphones after a child is baptized - Ethan told Eric as they were leaving the baptistery "Wow I'm glad that is over" - everyone cracked up!) then we went to lunch with Laney's et all. Then Randy and I got home less than 2 hours before Britt dropped the boys off so basically all weekend was GO GO GO NOISE NOISE NOISE. But last night Randy had practice with the worship band for Sunday and I stayed home by myself so I have begun to recover but when your old it takes a couple of nights!!!!!!!

Things I Learned this Weekend

1. Little boys with big imaginations are a hoot to watch
2. When you go to Worship service in a "I don't want to be here" mood you get very little from the worship.
3. Little boys who don't want their brothers in their face can bite noses faster than anyone can react! (AC learned not to get in his brother's face - hopefully)
4. Children respond best to quiet discipline than to raised voices - especially if other people are around.
5. Mountain Dew doesn't wire Trace too much - right Grandpa?
6. A movie with no curse words in it can still be GREAT (The Pacifier)
7. When you don't feel good, you over react to things

Okay I've shared my wisdom from this weekend! Love you guys.

A Short WEEK

I'm really glad that this week has been only 3 days long at work! (Then again if it had been a normal week it might not have been so crazy).

Let's start with my complaint - hey why is that only on Randy's posting does anyone commment? Oh I get it I'm boring - or maybe I just leave people speechless. Anyhow no comments mean that no one is reading this (or to my way of thinking) and if no one is reading why should I post??????

Last weekend was AWESOME! Friday night was VBS graduation and then the boys spent the night with us after meeting them at Cracker Barrell for supper (I can only say that the last two times I've gone to CB I have been disappointed in the service). Trace went to sleep on the way home so we put him straight to bed (long week for them! VBS wears everyone out!). AC was wound tight so finally about 11:30 I got him to bed to sleep. Trace woke up at 1:30 and I assume because he'd fallen asleep and didn't realize he was at our house he FREAKED!!! He was up (I guess I should say we were up - him and I) until 4:30. Finally about 4:30 he went to sleep in the living room and I went to take some medicine for the headache I had developed. I dropped the container that we keep all our medicine in - waking up Grandpa. Who cleaned up the mess for me (wonderful man he is!) but then he walked into the kitchen talking to me and Trace woke up again so he took him to bed with him and the little snot snuggled and went right back to sleep for/with Grandpa. (Next time I'm putting him in bed with GP 3 hours earlier).

Saturday was a fun day with the boys and an early evening for me but not Grandpa he stayed up watching the race until 2 a.m. (silly silly man!) Had church on Sunday - invited Steve, Vicky, Jeff, Emily, Stephen and baby Trae over for supper - fixed Enchilada's for them had a GREAT visit and enjoyed getting to know Trae (first time I had gotten my hands on him for some spoiling!)

Monday we met Eric, Julie, Ethan, Seth, RC, Britt, AC & Trace in Lutz for the 4th of July parade - ran into a bunch of people from our church - and from Seminole Heights. GREAT day! Left the parade went our seperate ways from the Laney's - went home to eat lunch while they went to the SHBC's picnic. We let Trace take a nap - tried to get AC too but he wasn't tired. Then we went to Steve & Vicky's for a "Meeting Trae" picnic - I was glad I got to see him the night before because the poor kid was passed around between probably 30 people within a couple of hours. Then we headed home where we had Brisket with the Laney & Crosby adults and Trace (Laney boys had already eaten and since they didn't sit down to eat - no way was AC going to give up play time for something as boring as eating.) Off to the fireworks to meet up with the Austins & Barnards for the fireworks. Got to hold baby Trae through most of it (watch for pictures to post soon!) He was a trooper about the noise - the loud ones that made the other kids jump didn't bother him at all - but the ones that made noise for a long time made him stiffen (not really wake up just tense). Finally the day was over and I was exhausted!!!!!!

Tuesday was a holiday for my company and Randy took a vacation day - we mowed the grass in the morning and watched TV all day long......I didn't even leave the house until between 6:30 and 7:00 and that was only to ride with Randy to go pickup the Pizza. Was a GREAT day of relaxing!

Hope everyone had a GREAT weekend!!!! and Hope the weekend coming up is even better!