Oh dear--it's been a LONG time!

My handsome little cowboy on his way to the square dance.

The beautiful chalk cliffs at Deer Valley Ranch, Buena Vista Colorado

So it's been nearly 6 months since I've blogged. There's no way I can catch up! So here's what's going on right now.

I'm working as the props mistress at OAT this summer! It's been fun---I'm still "involved" in the process, but I work on my own schedule. Two shows down, one more to go.

I'm taking Jenna to Harding for summer orientation on Thursday. I'm so excited for her to get her classes scheduled and all that jazz. I have this feeling that I'll be envious of all the fun stuff she has ahead of her! I'm not going to talk about how I feel about her leaving me in about 6 weeks...... :-(

On Sunday, I'm taking Clarissa to Harding for Summer Honor Choir. Then going back again on Friday to pick her up. Yes, that's THREE trips in 8 days. I have this feeling that I better get used to it.

Summer activities: We cut our school year short and went to Joplin, MO to do tornado recovery work. On May 22 an EF5 tornado tore through about 1/3 of that city. We drove down on Wed., May 25. I worked 2 days, while the girls worked for 5 days, sorting food, and other donations, distributing these donations to those who had lost their homes, and sorting through homes, helping to recover what could be saved and cleaning up what couldn't. There really are no words to explain any further. It was overwhelming. Kenny worked one day, then we needed to come home to care for Meredith and Matthew. We didn't want to leave---there is so much work still left to be done.

In June, we traveled to Deer Valley Ranch in Buena Vista CO with my parents, and my niece, Nickie. My brother and his family met us there. We had a week full of hiking, horseback riding, swimming, square dancing, eating, and making new friends.

We stopped in Colorado Springs on the way to DVR. We had the famouse chuckwagon dinner at the Flying W Ranch---a place my parents took me when I was about 5. We visited the Olympic training Center (a very cool FREE place to visit!) and we drove to the top of Pikes Peak. (If you ever go, you have to buy the donuts at the top! They're yummy!) We stopped in CS again on the way home, visiting the Focus on the Family visitors Center. The girls recorded their own episode of Adventures in Odyssey! It was a cheesy script--but they had fun, and we got a CD of their show.

OK--that's all for now! Maybe I'll stop in again sometime soon!

Birthdays!

It's been birthday week here at the Lighthouse. As of Monday, Jenna is 17, and Meredith turned 6 on Wednesday.

Kenny and I took Jenna to Sybils for dinner on Saturday night. It's an "adult" restaurant. (meaning there is NOT a kids menu!) We had such a nice time, spending a couple of hours just visiting and sharing. Jenna really is an "adult" now! I already find myself feeling sad that she'll be heading to college in just a few short months. A sweet friend reminded me not to ruin her excitement by being too sad. I think I already knew this, but I was so glad that she said it--so I could really think about it. I really AM excited for Jenna to go to Harding. (our campus visit in Dec. was great!) I'm excited about what the future holds for her. BUT---She will be SO missed around here! She is such a help to me and she is my friend. I will miss her companionship. (and I miss her taxi services!)

Meredith wanted a pony for her birthday. She didn't get one. But she was happy with her Rapunzel/Tangled doll, and Princess Color Wonder coloring posters. She especially liked her can of silly string. It doesn't take much to thrill a 6 year old!

Kindergarten

Meredith whines about doing her school work. Today, Clarissa and Rebecca challenged her to a race, to see who could finish their work first. Boy, did Meredith get moving!

Later, she was (again) whining saying, "It's too much work!" Clarissa sat down in the floor with her and patiently helped her, encouraged her, teased her, and made it lots of fun. Clarissa is going to be a great teacher some day. And I confess.....she's made me lazy. :-)

I just heard, "I'm done! I'm done! I'm done!"

the running report

With the passing of my grandmother, I failed to write about the results of my 5K!

On Dec. 3, 2010, I ran the Reindeer Run 5K in Republic MO. I finished with a time of 34:25. This placed me 9th in my age group out of 20 runners. I placed 133rd overall of 236 runners.

My goal was to finish in under 35 mins, so I was pleased!

Sad, but mixed with Joy

My Grandmother died last week. As mentioned in my previous post, we knew she would leave us soon. We had planned a family Christmas celebration at the nursing home where she resided for Sat. Dec. 11, so several of my extended family members were all there. At 3:00 am that day, my mother awoke me, saying that hospice had called and Grandma wasn't doing well. We headed to the nursing home, arriving about 4 am. We spent the day together, watching her slowly decline. While sad, it was also such a sweet time of togetherness with my family. To see my uncle play hymns (recorded on his iphone) next to Grandma's ear, and then a time of us singing together, through the tears; to see my cousins from Texas that I hadn't seen in about 5 years, to see the faith of my family, in action. Grandma died about 30 minutes after we left to return home. Mom said it got quiet, so she thought Grandma must have thought the party was over and it was time to go home. Home--home to her heavenly Father, safe in the arms of Jesus.

The funeral was a sweet time of reunion also, getting the chance to visit with other relatives I'd not seen in a while, and meeting some that I'd never even met! It's strange how sadness can be mixed with joy.

My Grandmother

I went to visit my dear grandmother in Kansas City yesterday. She's 91 and isn't expected to live very much longer. She's lost circulation in one of her feet and fluid is accumulating around her heart. As she was lying in her bed, with her beautiful white hair, and a baby blue fleece blanket snuggled around her face, she had a peaceful smile on her face as she listened to my conversation with my mother. I pray that when she goes, she will look like that; so peaceful and happy.

As I hugged her good-bye, kissed her soft cheek, and told her that I loved her, her scratchy voice said, "I love you too, baby" and I wondered if would be the last time I would hear her voice. I know Mom was thinking the same thing. The tears were flowing as we left.

I haven't died yet....

Thought I just blog, just so you would know that the training hasn't killed me yet! :-)

I have less than 2 weeks to race day. I don't like running yet. I thought I would by now. It IS getting better though. Originally, I thought my goal would be to run the whole 5K without walking. I've concluded that it's not going to happen. I'm happy with the fact that I can run over a mile without walking. It's a great achievement for me! :-)

an Announcement!

It's official! I'm training, with my friend Allison, to run a 5K. I AM NOT a runner! I've never been a runner, BUT hopefully I can become one now. My dad is a runner. He's run 15 marathons. He ran one last December at the age of 74! But I did not get the running genes. I've always said that I have small lungs, which makes it hard for me to run. We measured lung capacity in physiology class in college. I had the smallest lungs in the class. But I'm ready to "expand" them.

I did my first training run yesterday. I am SO sore today! But tomorrow, I will do another training run. I have a schedule to follow and I will follow it---even if it kills me!

Allison is a runner. She probably wouldn't say that she's a runner, but I think she is. Kenny said she has good running form. (He didn't say that about me! LOL!) She'll push me. She inspires me! I'll keep you updated on my progress. If I don't, you'll know that it killed me!

New Dishes!

There are certain things in life that I think should "match;" towels, sheets and dishes. While I'm certainly not judgemental about someone else's home! (Don't worry--I don't even NOTICE these things at other peoples houses!) for me, I like to have these things match the other decor. In the past, when I've moved into a new home, I've purchased towels and dishes to match, EXCEPT for when we moved into our current home two years ago. I didn't have time to shop and I did have any extra cash at the time. SO--for two years we've been using the old dishes; the dishes that are really looking BAD due to their age, (they have a design on them that has mostly worn off) and that are green and peach. My kitchen is painted gold and I have lovely red canisters!

Last week, I received in the mail, my Kohl's discount coupon and sale ad. Fiestaware was on a great sale AND I got a 30% off coupon!!!! How exciting! So on Saturday, I went to Springfield with the sole purpose of buying new dishes. I love my new scarlett and sunflower Fiesta dishes! They make me smile! My kids love them too. Isn't it silly that "dishes" can bring such joy? But they do!

Puppies! What a surprise!

Saturday morning, we had a surprise at our house! Leia, Clarissa's border collie, had puppies! We didn't even know she was expecting! So we now have 7 little black and white puppies! (She gave birth to 8, but unfortunately, the tiny little Snoopy died in the night last night)

Now we're waiting for Sally to have her puppies. As a short little beagle, her dragging belly is unmistakably full of babies! :-)

A Birthday Celebration

Yesterday, we celebrated Clarissa's 13th birthday. She was 13 on July 24, 2009. Yes, that was a year and 2 months ago, but we never celebrated.....until yesterday!

When Jenna turned 13, she invited 5 friends to go to St. Louis with her. We went to the art museum, lunch at Olive Garden and ice skating at the mall. So when Clarissa was 13 last year, we kept trying to figure out a good plan for her celebration. But it never worked out, until now!

Yesterday, we went to St. Louis, taking her friend Joy Nisbett, and her mother, Kim. We started out by stopping at Mobil on the Run for quarter drinks,(thanks Cardinals!) went to Olive Garden for lunch and then on to the Fabulous Fox Theatre to see "Shrek the Musical." It was AWESOME! I never really cared for the movie, in fact, I've never sat through the whole thing. It never "grabbed" my attention. But the live version..... I loved it! The music was wonderful, the costumes and puppets, and set were all beautiful. The singing was superb! And the story is really pretty sweet too!

After a run through Sam's, we ended the day by stopping for Hot and Ready Krispy Kreme donuts! Yum! I've never had one fresh off the conveyor belt! It's really a good thing we have to drive to St. Louis to get fresh Krispy Kremes!

And in case you're wondering, yes, I really like celebrating my kids' birthdays. This was such a good tradition to start! ;-)

Celebrating 50 years!

Photos by Parrett Photography/ Angie Parrett

The cake was a near replica of their wedding cake 50 years ago. (see photo below)

Anniversary Weekend!

50 years together--still walking hand in hand

Our whole family--Mom and Dad, my brother and his family, my sister and her family, and our family

My parents and our family

Meredith--looking beautiful!

Matthew playing croquet.

My Parents have been married for FIFTY years!

I love my parents! They are wonderful people. They are my friends and they love my children. What more could a girl ask for??

Tomorrow is the 50th Anniversary of their wedding, August 27, 1960. They had only met 2 months earlier, on June 27th. It was the summer after Mom had finished her freshman year of college. Her boyfriend had left town for the summer, to sell Bibles, door to door. She just wanted to go water skiing..... Dad had a boat! The rest is history! I've always loved their story.

Now, as a mother of 4 girls, this story has become somewhat disturbing! How will I feel if MY daughters decide to do something like this when they are only 18? In light of the fact that Mom and Dad have been married for 50 years?..... Hmmmm..... I'll have to think on that for a while! Or maybe I won't have to!

Our family will all be together this weekend to celebrate. I'll post pictures of them "now" next week.

New School Year!

We started school this week. It's gone ok so far. I'm still working this week, so that has made it more challenging. Last Spring when I started working, it worked out well, but NOW we have a kindergartener! Meredith is SOOOO excited about school! She's mad when we are busy and "skip" the day. But K is so easy for her that we do 2 or more lessons in one day--so we can afford to skip a day here and there. Jenna is loving British Literature (Sonlight 530). I'm doing American History with Clarissa and Rebecca (Sonlight 100). I think it's supposed to be self study, but I LIKE to do it with them--so I'm reading the history aloud to them.

Tomorrow is my last regular day of work. I'm staying on as "irregular part time" so that I can sub for the courier sometimes. They've already asked me to work 2 days in Sept.