School Haircut

Just got my back-to-school haircut, so it is official---I am ready for school. Guess I could go shopping for clothes, shoes, etc. But then that would make it too real.

Days Are Few

It won't be long until I will be back in school for another year. I will try not to complain. I will try to be thankful always. I will try to have my work done on time. I will try to ... Okay, enough of the I will try stuff. I am thankful to have a job, but wish I had a little more time off. Toots thinks she needs to spend the remaining nights with us until we start school. Ha. I'd be wishing for a quick start!

Vacation Completed

Hubby and I are home from California where we enjoyed 7 days of sun, ocean, huge trees, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and relatives. Pictures soon.

Wedding Photo Albums

At Christmas time this year, my hubby and I will have been married 37 years. We have a wedding album done by a professional. It is quite nice, but a little outdated if you know what I mean. The pictures are smaller than 4x6 and are arranged on individual pages by sliding into a pre-made slot that blocks some of the picture. I'm not complaining--it was high-tech and best of that "era". Fast forward to the wedding album of my daughter and new son-in-law. It is also professionally done, stunning, a work of art. I am so pleased for them that it is so elegant. I'll try not to be jealous. After all, I had to search diligently for our album, dust the years of accumulation of crude off it in order to share. I could pull out all our photos, send them in or do my own book at CVS. Problem is, there would not be enough of the photos to fill even one of those small photo books. It would be like scrapbooking where there are few photos and lots of stuff. Oh, well, I guess that is what we have earned for being married 37 years.

In the Still of the Night

Toots spent the day and the night with me last yesterday. We had a great time. When we snuggled up in bed, said our prayers, sang a song each, it got very quiet. I thought I had lucked out and that she went to sleep rapidly. Then all of a sudden this little voice said, "If you let me smell your breath, I'll let you smell mine."

Trip Delayed

Hubby flew out this morning for his convention in LA. I was suppose to go, but am battling pain in the sciatic nerve and surrounding muscle tissue. Got a shot and hope to be well enough to join him early next week. I hope and pray the shot works because the pain is unbearable!

Let's Order Mom's Pizzas

Hubby and I entertained two of our children and their spouses for dinner last night. Ally and I made whole wheat crust pizzas. Yum! I could have eaten one entire pizza by myself. Had to give the leftovers away so I wouldn't be tempted to indulge today.

Can't See the Tree for the Tree

Hubby and I are leaving for a vacation to California this week with part of his time in church administrators' meetings. We have so much to get ready to take with us and notes explaining what to do here while we are gone. If all goes well, we are hoping to visit the Sequoia National Park to see some of the largest and oldest trees on this continent and get an updated picture in front of the tree. Hubby also wants to visit Disneyland just to check it off his bucket list. I have been twice, once as a kid, and once as a chaperon to 10 Special Olympians from our state. So this trip will be a different perspective. Hope I will be able to connect somewhere to continue my posts. Time will tell.

Operation Christmas Child Boxes Packed

My granddaughter, Toots, and I assembled the Samaritan Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes today. She enjoys counting and placing the items in the plastic shoe boxes as well as discussing why the children will enjoy them. (I could do it much faster by myself, but how will she learn about mission work?) We worked over an hour on them before all were finished. She wanted to write her name on a piece of paper for each box. Her daddy allowed her enough time to do just one. After she left I looked at it, and then placed it in the box. Hope whoever receives that box can read her backward J. It's the thought that counts.

Swimming, with Ice!

Can't believe the fridgid temperatures of the pool today! I tried to step in quickly but couldn't catch my breath. If this keeps up, I will need to search for a wet suit.

Did You Say Rain Today?

Can you believe all of this rain we are having? Yuk! Enough!! Send some to Texas where the trees are dying from no water. The predition is for thunderstorms today, Sat., Sun., Mon., Tues., and Wed. At least it should be above the 60s in temp. It's a little hard to swim in this weather.

Pain, and I'll Say It Again--Pain!

I'm in pain! I have a pinched nerve in my hip that is excruciating. I have to see a doctor today, any will do as long as I can get relief. If I walk a long time, the pain lessens, but I can't walk all the time. Maybe I'll have to walk to the doctor!

Bible Bowl Reflections

Well, we are home from the National Bible Bowl tournament. Our teams did well, learned much, and behaved within expectations. It is so rewarding to be with all the teams, sponsors, and parents who value learning designated verses of the Bible for competition. Thoughout the year we tell the kids they are learning God's Word to hide it in their hearts. At the competition, we reveal or show what is in their hearts as we play the games. Next year it is on to Denver for the finals.

Recycling By the Numbers

My granddaughter Toots and I took our newspapers and water bottles to the local recycling center on Friday. That is all we recycle because those are the only items accepted by the center (according to their info by phone.) When we carried in the sacks, a young man helped us by directing which went where, although each bin was clearly marked. I was surprised to see a bin for cans, cardboard, paperboard, as well as the newspapers and water bottles. So I asked. The young man, a worker there, assured me that the center now recycles #1 - #7. I was so pleased. He asked me to hand him the plastic bag I had carried newspapers in, but I didn't watch where he placed it. After all our trips I had more plastic bags, #4, to be recycled. I asked which bin. He told me to throw it in the one in the middle of the floor, the trash. I argued (politely) that it was a #4 and could be recycled. He confirmed that it goes in the trash bin. Needing further reassurance that I had placed all the other materials in the correct bin, I asked him about the slick advertisement pages that are inserted in the newspapers. He said to place them with the newspapers, and in fact, all the cardboard, paperboard, and magazines would eventually be put with the "paper". In a large city near here, they DO recycle #1 - #7 correctly. Each item must be separated and not combined as he said. I'm sure as we drove out the long driveway, he placed some of our items in the middle bin, smiling the whole while.

Brrrrr

BRRRR! I'm freezing. The temp has dropped below 60 degrees and this is July! Hope the hot weather returns soon.

Happy Birthday Joe

Happy birthday to my late brother, Joe. He would have been 54 today.