1ST COOK-OUT OF 2009

I'm sure I've said it before, but I am not a morning person, at all! It's normally the worst ten minutes of my day, waking up and getting up. No, seriously, just ask Roger. He used to kiss me every morning before he left for work and now I don't even hear him leave in the mornings. Well, it's just so stinkin' early, c'mon!!

Anyhow, my point is, this morning I couldn't wait to get up and get outside. You heard me...I couldn't wait to get up and get outside. And by 1 PM I had cleaned out my big flower garden in the corner of our front yard, which was quite the undertaking, quite a mess from last year. I then raked that said mess all up AND gave the yard its first mowin' of the 2009 season. And I don't use no sissy riding lawn mower either, lol, push mower all the way, folks! And it's a 2 1/2 to 3 hour job let me tell ya to mow the front and back. Whew!! I'm tired even just thinkin' about all that work now.

In the middle of all that, I decided that it was just way too nice of a day not to have a cook-out/picnic, so I called up the kinfolk and my Dad, Chris and Amanda, McKayla and Christopher and Josh came over for some steak, fried potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower salad, and baked beans. Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm good!!

Everyone else had been working pretty hard outside today, too, so by the end all the adults were pretty tired and it shows in the pictures below.

Josh and his goofball cousin Logan.McKayla and Christopher look on as their well-refined, modest and sneaky cousin Logan comes out from behind the tree after going potty.Dad relaxing and enjoying the breeze.Josh and McKayla horsing around. Loser!

On his way home, Dad decided to take an ice cream cone to go!I love this picture of a very dirty faced Logan.Roger says, "Alright, what's going on out here?"McKayla kickin back.Leyna really doesn't like getting her picture taken, lolSo then I took another one!After cutting wood and picnicing, Chris is wiped out!McKayla getting into texting her friends.Chris and Amanda can hardly stay awake, lolAnyone for hide-n-seek?Josh and Christopher seeking for Leyna and Logan. I don't think they're up there!!!

HANGIN' AROUND

Just some random shots of a swing, a girl and her dog. I took these this afternoon. It is still really chilly, but warmer weather should be here tomorrow and by Saturday possibly 80, yippee!!!

YMCA Youth Activity Day

This past Saturday my sister-in-law Amanda took Christopher and Logan to the YMCA's Youth Activity Day; I met up with them later on. They just had all kind of activities for the kids to do, from face painting, pony rides, a fire truck on display for the kids to sit in, all kind of games in the gym, swimming, they even had a DJ there with his bubble machine going and different get-ups for the kids to put on while they sang and danced around. We were there for about an hour and I took a few pictures...go figure!!

First a little face painting.Those are supposed to be bats? on Logan's cheeksChristopher opted for some kinda ball? on his cheek.Waiting in line for the pony rides.Checkin out the fire truck.

TWO QUOTES I LOVE

Below are just two random quotes that I have heard from time to time and never seem to remember when I try. So as with everything I have to remember these days, I'm writing it down!

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming, "Wow, what a ride!!!" --- Unknown

AND

Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God. --Bob Pierce

RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM AT ITS BEST!

You know, whatever your political views are, one thing is for sure....this country is in serious trouble! I'll be the first to admit WE'VE all let this happen by either doing the wrong thing or by doing nothing to prevent it. I'll also admit I'm not much of an activist. Oh, I have my opinions and for those of you who know me, you know I don't mind sharing them at all, but as far as actually taking up a political cause or jumping on the proverbial band wagon, nope, that's not my cup of tea (excuse the pun...you knew one was coming).

HOWEVER, the time has come to do something, and the easiest thing in the world to do is just to show up and show your support and that's what a couple hundred local residents of my local town of Sugar Grove, PA and I did this past Wednesday.

And I can also see how those who attended TEA parties were later labeled as right-wing extremists because things started to really get outta hand at one point, what with all the clapping and praying and discussing certain issues and general chattin with your neighbors, it was a rough crowd. Logan was terrified at one point 'cause everyone wanted to take her picture with her sign, just horrible of them. I think you get my point, and here's the pictures to prove it.

Taxation Without Representation!Logan, our little activist.......er, excuse me, right-wing extremist (I know, I can't help myself, it's just so ridiculous to me, lol)Even Ben Franklin showed up to show his support!Ex-Congressman John Peterson was the key speaker.Extremism at its best!

THE ADOPTION OPTION

(Once again, I've borrowed this from another blog I ran across)

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ADOPTIVE PARENT WHEN...

1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

4. The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.

5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.

6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's 'real' parents.

7. You have ever been 'pregnant' with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth.(2 years!)

8. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you He will provide.

9. You have ever taken an airplane ride half-way around the world with a child you just met.

10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.

11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

12. You know what the word 'Dossier' means, and you can actually pronounce it!

13. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

14. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have him or her in your life.

-Author unknown

COLORING EGGS 2009

This year we didn't get too fancy, just dropped them in the dye and waited for them to turn to colored eggs. No tye dyed, no swirls, no glitter, just the basics. Christopher and Logan are still young enough that they don't need all that fancy stuff, and McKayla tried to dye 1/2 an egg one color and 1/2 another color to keep herself amused. She also kinda made some swirlies on two of her eggs, so at least she was entertained for the whopping 45 minutes it took to color four dozen eggs. These three really did have fun and they were all quite proud of themselves, and yet again another memory for them to share.

McKayla mixing the colors up.Ooooo, Ahhhh.Christopher taking time out for a photo-op with his Mommy (Amanda) standing behind him.McKayla and Christopher mulling over what colors to dip into next.Logan showing how she can multi-task by getting your picture taken while dropping your egg in the color at the same time.Everyone is having a good time!McKayla's creations.Logan likes a lot of color on her eggs.So many colors, so little time.Christopher's delightful dozen.Trying to get a serious photo outta the two yahoos on the left is next to impossible, lol, while McKayla smiles pretty.

TEA ANYONE?

(If this offends anyone....well, too bad. Seriously, this is my blog!)

Are you fed up with a Congress and a president who:

Vote for a $500 billion tax bill without even reading it?

Are spending trillions of borrowed dollars, leaving a debt our great-grandchildren will be paying?

Consistently give special interest groups billions of dollars in earmarks to help get themselves re-elected?

Want to take your wealth and redistribute it to others?

Punish those who practice responsible financial behavior and reward those who do not?

Admit to using the financial hurt of millions as an opportunity to push their political agenda?

Run up trillions of dollars of debt and then sell that debt to countries such as China?

Want government controlled health care?

Want to take away the right to vote with a secret ballot in union elections?refuse to stop the flow of millions of illegal immigrants into our country?

Appoint a defender of child pornography to the Number 2 position in the Justice Department?

Want to force doctors and other medical workers to perform abortions against their will?

Want to impose a carbon tax on your electricity, gas and home heating fuels?

Want to reduce your tax deductibility for charitable gifts?

Take money from your family budget to pay for their federal budget?

If so, participate in your local TAX Day TEA party rally, the Taxed Enough Already (TEA) party. Bring your cell phone and call Congress and the president while attending the TAX Day TEA party rally (Representative and Senators, 202-224-3121; President, 202-456-1414). Tell Every American about this effort by forwarding this invitation to your friends. Together we can make a difference.

CHARLOTTE PICS

Roger, Logan, Lulu (our new puppy, lol) and I all left last Wednesday morning to visit Roger's mom and sibs in Charlotte, North Carolina. Let me first say that traveling with a four year old and a five month old puppy can be and was an adventure itself. All in all Logan and Lulu did extremely well without the benefit of a DVD player, Ipod or anything else to entertain them but each other. Of course Lulu really wouldn't have had any use for either the DVD player or Ipod, lol, but she did have Logan pestering her relentlessly the whole trip. We had a very nice visit and arrived home Sunday evening around 9:30 PM. Roger got to spend a lot of time reminiscing with his two sisters and brother, and Logan got to know two of her cousins (Bria and Lydia) a lot better as she had never them before. Below are some pictures of the girls dressing up and performing their "routine" that the oldest of the three, Lydia, taught them.

Cowgirl Up, Bria & Logan!Lydia teaching her two younger cousins some cool moves.There's a Joker in every crowd, and this trio was no exception!Roger at the bowling alley with his niece Bria and granddaughter Logan.Even Lulu had a playmate to visit with...Cocoa!Lulu trying to adjust to her new surroundings, lol.

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY

Was surfing AGAIN and found this site from another site from another site from another site...you get the picture fellow surfers.

Anyhow...all you have to do to enter is leave a comment HERE and post about the giveaway on your own site. It's another great idea. Good luck to ya!