Easter 2008

This is my sister and I on Easter.....I know, I know, Easter was over a long time ago but time flies. My Grandma was here for Easter, but she was very sick at the time and the picture I got of her....well, let's just say I'm trying to behave myself and not post it. I will post a picture of my mom and dad later but be warned......if you haven't seen them in five years or more......they are gray and bald. ha ha Anyway, this week was not a good week at all. My children did everything they could not to obey the rules. I was ready to pull my hair out. The last two days were better though. Let's just say I have a very interesting group of parents this time around. Plus, we've been struggling with allergies which I haven't had a problem with until the last two years. What fun! I'm ready for another vacation......yes, we have another one coming up in about three weeks. This seems to be the year for big trips. After this trip, I'm sure we will be staying home for awhile especially with the price of gas. When I planned this trip I figured on four dollars a gallon and by the looks of it, that's what it will be by the time we go. It's time to get the suitcases out again and get packing......oh, how wonderful!

If I Could Rob the Cradle......ha ha

Today my mom and I went visiting. She went to Gram's house and I went to visit my little boyfriend Dalyn and his parents, Derek and Alanna McIntire. If only I could rob the cradle.....he is so much fun! Anyway, we had a great time together. Alanna and I made lunch - grilled ham, homemade mac and cheese, and steamed asparagus which Alanna and I love to eat. It had been awhile since I had been in the kitchen with Alanna, and I got my laughs for the day. Then we went for ice cream in Mifflinburg. In the meantime, my mom was helping Gram get her flower beds cleaned out. We had a good day! We do miss living in that area.....being close to the city is very different.

Spring

I love spring! I love to keep track of what flowers are blooming around our house. These daffys are beside our garage on the side of a small hill. Getting pictures of them is so fun, not! But I willingly put up with the way you have to stand/sit/kneel to get these pictures. Last year, I got some great pictures of the flowers around here, and I hope to do so again this year. One of these days I will post more pictures from Hawaii, but I'm having a hard time trying to upload them. Technology is only wonderful when it works - that's my motto when I get frustrated with things like that. Anyway, back to spring. It happens to be one of my favorite seasons. I also enjoy fall and winter. Notice I left out summer and that would be because of the heat, which I can't stand! There's just something new about every day in spring. Reminds me of life - something new every day if we look hard enough.

The Things Kids Say....

We took a walk today with our children since it turned out to be a nice day. Usually after we walk, we allow them to run around on the covered porch area of the church that's connected to our preschool. It's a great time for them to get their energy out because soon after our walk we take a nap. We've been working with the older group to try to help them realize their own needs and how to take care of them (especially blowing their noses instead of digging for gold - gross, I know but it's what happens!). Anyway, while running around, one little girl sneezed and then proceeded to say, "My tissue came out!". I'm sure she meant to say that something came out of her nose and needed a tissue to take care of it, but couldn't put it together fast enough in the short amount of time that she knew she needed a tissue. We had a good laugh over that one! She's a real cracker jack, but is very sweet and helpful. Over the winter months, when it seemed like we were going through a box of tissues a day, she would help the other kids wipe their noses if they didn't realize that they needed a tissue. We call her our "Mother Goose".

This is one of the three beautiful sunsets that we got to see while standing on Waikiki Beach. This by far was the best one! Almost every night there were sailboats passing by. I had to wonder if they did it on purpose because they knew that people were taking pictures. Even if they did, it made for some great pictures. Truly remarkable colors in every sunset. This was also one of the best places to see a sunset. When we were on Kauai the sun set behind us and on the Big Island (Hawaii) we were there for two nights, but only got to see it happen once because of the weather. The other place for great sunsets was while we were on Maui. The last night we were there, the clouds were perfect and I took lots of pictures of that one too.

Children

My children at my job never cease to amaze me (neither do some of the parents at times)! The funny things they say just make me want to roll with laughter. Sometimes the smallest thing they say or do makes my day. Today was a beautiful day and we were taking a walk around the the lower parking lot. Now you have to understand - walking with this age group can sometimes be very challenging. We were listening to the birds sing and looking at the trees and enjoying the weather. For the past few days that we have been walking, I would find a small stone and kick it in front of me while walking and waiting for one of the kids to do the same. Several in my group had tried to imitate it, but they had failed to get the foot in the proper timing while walking. Today one of my little girls finally succeeded and what joy that brought - we giggled over the accomplishment even for something so small in my eyes but so big in theirs. Makes you realize that they watch every little thing you do and will imitate it. What a responsibility! Nothing warms my heart more than to see their smiling faces and listen to their laughter as we play together.

USS Arizona

We visited the USS Arizona the first morning we were in Hawaii. We had to wait for an hour and a half until we could watch the film and then take the boat ride to the memorial. It was a very moving experience. Oil still leaks from at least two places. You only get to spend approx. 10-20 min. on the memorial. It was a very quiet place. We came away with a deeper appreciation for our country and those who have defended and continue to defend our freedom.

Since we were here in the "winter season", we got to see the higher waves. On this day they were approx. 3-8 feet high which is on the low side. Surfing competitions are held here every year with waves over 15 feet and beyond. We did get to see some people surfing and got some great pictures!

A few weeks ago my sister and I took a 13 day trip to Hawaii. Talk about scenic! And yes, it is very expensive, but I basically considered it a once in a lifetime trip. Well worth the money I spent, that's for sure! Oh, by the way, I saved my money for almost four years to be able to go - a lot of things I did not do or could not do in order to save the money, but the trip was the greatest reward in the end. I even went snorkeling! It was great! Will try to post pictures of the trip later.

I finally did it and only three months late! It was my New Year's resolution to set up a blog. I guess time just slipped away from me but here I am! I expect this to be a great adventure!