True Quote! :-)

“I've had a few arguments with people, but I never carry a grudge.

You know why? While you're carrying a grudge, they're out dancing.”

(unknown)

Family Time

***Our roundabout downtown (Orange Circle)...gives me a feel of a little hometown surrounded by big city!


(My sisters girl)...Brittany and Rich came to visit his family in LA for labor day weekend.... and came over to the beautiful O.C. to see us also. We had a nice lunch out with our family and Wayne & Carla's crew.... and then ran downtown for some yummy Italian Gelato. I totally forgot that it was the annual Orange International Street Fair...which equals zillions of people. But, we were lucky to find a free parking spot close to the Gelato place. We ended up walking around in the crowds and they wanted to see my little shop space so we went there. They live in San Francisco...so we're closer than everyone else is...just get too busy with life to get together much. They do music together and Rich is a very good musician and song writer. Hopefully one day soon they'll have a CD out.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ps. If you are ever in Orange...visit my favorite Gelato restaurant...they make it fresh each day. They don't keep any from the day before...."Fresh"....which is key value in our family. My Grandparents and other family members always have to have fresh veggies and any type of food that is quality/fresh. :-) lol They want to know if whatever you are serving or buying is best quality...:-) lol



http://www.cafelucca.com/

My Niece's Candle Business

My Niece Marisa Hartzell has been creating soy candles for several years. The link to her website is below. I order these for my home. For our church bookstore. For my home interiors business. Her scents are wonderful and soy is much healthier than other types of candles. I have used them for Fundraising. Check it out.

Web Link:
http://www.makescentscompany.com/

I'm a Jane Austen Fan

A mysterious picture of me on a London Street near Buckingham Palace....the way I like it...incognito! :-)

I love the romantic world of Jane Austen. I have been to her home place in England. And to the Pump House(Tea Room) in Bath, England that she talks about in her books. And to the beautiful home(Pimberley) where they filmed the parts for Mr. Darcy's home in the movie(I think Colin Firth is pretty awesome too):-).......today I'm wishing I were in England. :-) We've had some lovely times there. My kiddos love it also.

ABC's of Friendship

A Friend...

(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever Judges
(O)ffers support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plain things you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality.

Prayer Request

Please pray for my brother-in-law Rev. Curtis Spears. He was trying to put out a oil fire at thier cabin and the oil fire got on him and he was burnt pretty bad. He's in pain and needs surgery for his burns. He's being treated at the Kalamazoo burn center...but wants to be home in Lousiana. Pray for strength for he and my sister during this time.

First Day Orientation

**My handsome little Greek Boy!

It's Back to School Time

I took the boys out yesterday to get their school supplies. We had a fun day and went to lunch at their favorite place. Lots of laughing and conversation. I love my boys. I have 2 little comedians in the house. Today my little guy (9yrs) has first day orientation to get the kids used to their new schedule. He has been moved to a new GATE School...for the gifted and talented. He has been in elementary where the 2 older kids graduated from and I like that school its only a few blocks from my house. I can get there quickly... The school district strongly urged us to allow him to attend the Gate school.... that will focus on advanced education. I'm just not looking for more work or stress. lol His state test scores were very high. He's always been advanced in his Math. They had to take him out of his classes with a tutor to keep him interested up until now. Or he would answer all the questions quickly and get bored and zone out. So, hopefully this new year will be a challange for him in a good way and not a headache for me...as they require 3 hours of homework per night. Ugggggg Plus the boys music lessons and whatever sport their involved with...I'm back to mom the taxi driver. :-)

Hilarious Welsh Comedian

Some Pictures of Dorm Room

We decorated Sharayah's dorm room at IBC. She wanted it to feel like a home. So, she's got a lot of "stuff" in her room. :-)





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*I set her up a mini-kitchen...fridge/microwave/toaster/coffee pot/blender for healthy shakes...stocked her up on food for the next century.~~~

A Warm Welcome Home

I'm finally home after two long weeks of getting Sharayah set up for the next venture in her life. The college years. My husband and boys gave me a big-exciting welcome home. Jeriah put a poster sign on the front door. They were waiting for me at the door. I guess the house was pretty quiet with me gone. They had the house clean and even had my candles lit....everything looked good and I slept so well in my own domain. :-)
**Jeriah peeking out at me....

Went to see "Bodies ~the Exhibit"

Today I took Sharayah to downtown Indianapolis...it is my mom's hometown. I have pictures of her and her girlfriends and siblings posing by the Circle Monument when she was a teen. Sharayah and I went to the Bodies Exhibit. (went to lunch at PF Changs first...didn't know how it would feel looking at our insides)lol It was unreal. The whole human body from different views....inside out....babies at every stage from conception to birth. We were even allowed to hold a human brain and a heart. It was a very interesting display. I found this explanation below of how they had the bodies donated.....

-------


...visitors took in an exhibit called "BODIES, the Exhibition," which features twenty actual human cadavers from China with their skin replaced with a clear plastic substance that exposes their internal organs. The bodies are displayed in poses like "Soccer Player" and "Running Man" (pictured above).

According to the Chinese government, the cadavers are Chinese people who died of natural causes and whose bodies went unclaimed or unidentified before being turned over to a medical school in China.....etc...

Indianapolis

Downtown Monument on the circle....

We have arrived. We have Sharayah's room pretty well set up. What a looonnnngggg trip from the extreme West Coast to the East....or Midwest....I loved going through the Ozarks...love that part of the country. We went to Michigan for one day to visit my sisters....we love Michigan also. Sharayah has 2 days until school starts....the summer is passing so quickly. She has anticipated this day and here we are. I'm going to miss her. But, I know she will have some great experiences and learn a lot this year.

On the road again....

I'm in Oklahoma City for the night....this is a long road from west to east. But, thankful that we've had a safe trip this far.

Funny kids...love the British accent....

New Mexico for the Night

We have completed one day of our journey. I drove all the way. (hand claps please). I dread the dessert drive. But we made it. We are on our way to Indianapolis for Sharayah's school year to begin. :-)

My oldest leaves for college

Well, I'm facing a new era in my life....a milestone....my oldest child is going away to school. I have been too busy to think about it much. I did have a little cry while running an errand to get the kids contacts restocked....there was a sentimental song on the country station about kids growing up...and I started to feel nostalia and sad.:-) Glad I didn't let myself go too much or I'd still be crying. haha I don't want to think on it too much. We have cell phones, txt and internet...we didn't have that when I left home. So, she'll be a heartbeat away. I know I'll miss her. She's been such a joy...from day one. God gave me a jewel when he sent her to us. She's a doll! The boys are having a reaction. They're gonna miss their big sis. She's been very good to them. She's very nurturing....like a 2nd mother. :-)

Joshua's Birthday

We are celebrating Josh's 15th birthday. Since he's a summer baby...he's always like to have an all night slumber~~swimming pool party. Today I have a house full of 10 teenage young men. No longer little boys. They are all taller than I and one is 6' 4". All of these boys have been coming to his party since they were little guys. A few were at his first birthday and the rest have been with him through elementary school. We had lots of good food and homemade desserts from Aunt Carla. This morning I got up and made a big breakfast... I can't believe my darling Josh is 15 already.







~~~~~~~~~~Ben stayed up all night and pulled pranks on the other boys. He fell into a deep sleep about 10am and didn't even move when they drew on his face.

**The guys were good sports and put on the kiddy hats I bought. They thought it was funny. I have these little traditions that I will have to let go of the older they get. haha

Nice surprise!

My husband surprised me tonight with a beautiful camel color Coach Purse. He was on a little trip to spend time with Sharayah because she will be leaving for school Monday. And, they had some father/daughter time together. He bought her some beautiful things, he let her pick out a purse from one of her favorite designers and clothes...(every girly girl loves purses and clothes.)lol....including a Movado watch as a keepsake of our love and support for her to suceed in her future. After she had already shown me her gifts from her dad....She kept smiling at me like she had something up her sleeve. Then dad brought out my package as a thank-you gift for supporting him as he studied for his masters the last several years. She was pleased that he picked it out and it was his idea to do it..although he is not comfortable shopping in womens stores. lol Thank God he's finally done. :-)

Lovely Tea Cups from China

I love the new tea cups I received as a gift from Sis. Votaw...our missionaries to China. She sent them thru some of our members that went on the Youth Corp missions trip in July. I really love the beautiful lady in the bottom of the cup. Very Unique and it will remind me to pray for the country of China! :-)

I see my mother in the mirror!

My daughter loves to play with digital pictures and graphic design. She did this of her face and my face merged. I think she looks so much like her dad and then this shows how similar she is to me. I see my mother in the mirror now days and she's seeing her mother. ha :-) The left half is her and the right half is me.

We Must Praise

This is the song on my heart this morning. Dad raised us with the understanding that everything we did...whether it be work, school, talents and abilities...we did it as worship unto the Lord...because the Lord gave us the breath and strength and ability to do those things. So, I'm giving worship to the Lord this morning and thanks for all that he has done. We had an awesome 3 day revival. Many guests and several baptisms(I don't have an exact number) and many people were touched in our Hope and Healing service on Sunday night. Evg. Chris Smothers was our guest speaker. He preached Sunday morning as an evangelist. Then he received a call in the afternoon that he was voted in as Pastor of a church in the Detroit area. So he preached as a Pastor Sunday evening. :-) Our men all gathered around him at the end of the service to pray for him and his new role as Pastor. I'm spiritually full today and thankful for God's riches blessings.

Discovery Science Center

Today I took Jeriah and Jaron his buddy to the DSC. They had a blast looking for dinosaur bones in the Argentinian dinosaur dig. Tried out many science projects. So many kids were swirling around, I almost felt dizzy. HA Summer vacation is so much fun and so exhausting at the same time. lol