One Part Inspiration...

This is the story of my our Olympic Adventure. First, let me start by saying that I am a history buff. I like to be part of historic events. I remember where I was when Lady Di married Prince Charles. I recall the trial of Ollie North. I loved being part of Expo '86. So when it came to the Olympics, I wanted to be part of it. I didn't need to have tickets to any events. I didn't even try to get them. But as the excitement grew, (and it started for me when I found out that my first cousin was chosen to be a torch bearer for part of its run across the country) my dream to be a part of something historic grew in my heart. It was even more attractive because it was happening in my own back yard, . My spring break happened to be at the same time. My boys had a day off on one of the Fridays as well, even though they attend a different school. So I slated that day for 'The Olympic Adventure'. However, as things turned out, we were not able to get into town th...

When I was small, I imagined what my life would be. Like Cinderella I wanted to marry a prince. But I was far too realistic to imagine that I would live 'happily ever after'. I did read lots of books though, and from them gleaned many ideas about how I would live life in that long awaited time when I would be a grown up. For instance, I read "Little Women". The mother in that book was the type of person I wanted to be. She served her community. She loved God. She loved her girls. She was strict, but not unfair. She seemed to have the wisdom to help her girls at just the right time. When her girls got into scrapes, she knew what to say and how to say it, so they would find the solutions for their problems. The girls would go to her for this wisdom, or she would come to them. She spent many a time sitting at the side of their beds, her cool hand on their foreheads, admonishing them, encouraging them, caring for them, until they found their way again. As I hav...

I have to say, it's nice to have them home. Although, it is a little more noisy, and a little more messy. However, it's all worth it. Now, we have the soft sound of the ukulele to accompany dinner, breakfast, t.v. watching, computer typing. My #2 son used his spending money to buy himself a ukulele complete with a case. He has already learned to play a few chords and is working on the strumming. It is a cute little thing. It's more portable than the guitar. And it's quieter than some other instruments, so the lady below us doesn't have to thump on the ceiling with her broom. Other goodies they brought back were jewelry, a wind catcher, t-shirts and a 'crown' my husband earned playing the drums with the Polynesian drummer. Oh and a lot of laundry. They have a lot of pictures. Even though I didn't go, I can enjoy the trip vicariously. I have a little idea of what they experienced. This is one of my favorites. Yep. It's good to be family aga...

I am feeling very blessed today. This was a week I had not really looked forward to. It is the first week in our marriage that my husband has gone away without me for an extended period of time. This was no overnight-er or weekend-er. It was a full 10 days. Usually, it is me who flies the coop and leaves him with all the extra responsibilities. Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time, may be aware that I am always trying to find ways to distract myself from worry. I felt the tentacles of worry creeping up on me as I faced the separation. They were threatening my well-being. So I adopted the mantra: " Don't borrow trouble " for these days when I am on my own. It has turned out to be a week of blessing. The first blessing came in the form of my daughter. It has been great to be roommates this week. We've shared meals, movies and grocery responsibilities. It was nice to come home, and know that there was someone who would be waiting for me, or...

Looking for a new way to trim inches? I have the answer. It's all the rage in Paris, and L.A. and all those places where shee-shee-poo-poo people live. The idea of this exercise is revolutionary. It provides all three of the key types of of a work out; aerobic, flexibility, and strength. You'll find all kinds of muscles you didn't know you had. You'll never have another workout which will challenge you the same way. Best of all, there's no enrollment fee. No, you can do this for free! Interested? It is called the 5000-Shingle-Pick-Up.

My daughter is babysitting me. Her brothers and her dad have flown the coop and they made arrangements for her to come and look after me. I am trying to be on my best behavior so they will get a good report when they return. So far, we have watched three movies, checked the mail, paid some bills, fed the sheep,took back the pop bottles (so we could buy more movies) and made our own pizza. And we stopped for an ice cream cone on the way back from the "Women's Show", where we used our coupons to get in at a discount. I remember when I was about five, there was a weekend when everyone else in my family had some sort of trip they were going on and it was just up to me to take care of my mom. I made arrangements to sleep in her bed so she wouldn't get lonely. And in the morning, she and I had eggs on toast - sunny side up. There's something about being together as mom and daughter that is special. You don't look up from the movie to pass the kleenex to the o...

What do: 18 pairs of socks , 20 pairs of underwear, 1 surf board, 3 backpacks (no carry-ons), 2 cameras, 5 soccer balls, 2 boxes of Gravol, 1 houseful of chaos, 3 bathing suits, and 2 bottles of sunscreen Have to do with each other? An airplane I am not boarding. An island I will not be visiting. A passport I don't have to pull out. A bathroom I won't have to share. ....... Party at my house!