Hard to imagine

Craig and Kim , December 2007

It's hard to imagine Christmas is almost here! My heart is tender with pleasant memories of years past as we prepare for another Christmastime. I hope your Christmas season be filled with much love and memories!

I pray your heart is merry
I pray your joy is bright.
Throughout this special season
of peace and hope and light!
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Graduation and Engagement

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

What a wonderful, exciting weekend!! We went to Kalamazoo for Jonathan's graduation from W.M.U.! The ceremony was lovely and very touching! We are so proud of Jonathan and his accomplishments and perseverance! He has reached his goals and now will begin living his dream! We know God has great plans for his future!

After graduation, we joined Sarah's family for dinner and went back to their house in Portage for desserts and celebrations! During dessert, Jonathan proposed to Sarah! She was surprised and thrilled! (Her ring is beautiful!!) Through laughter and tears, both families celebrated together! Jonathan is blessed to have found such a 'gem' in Sarah! They are so in love with each other . . . so happy together! I'm blessed to be able to experience this exciting day~ and I'm certain the best is yet to come!

Dance Club

We had another big night at Flint Golf Dance Club last evening! It was wonderful getting together again with Steve and Kathy, Steve and Rosie, and Mark and Gina! Everyone was all dressed up in their finest holiday fare! We shared a delicious meal, and danced away the evening! (Can you believe the band play Dancin' Queen from Momma Mia - - I think that was for ME!!) Even when it's cold outside, it's memories of evenings like this that keep us warm. Tis the season. . .Merry Christmas!!

Thanksgiving Weekend

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! Our Thanksgiving dinner was shared at our lovely neighbors, the Rockwells. They warmly welcomed us into their home to share their bountiful feast!

On Friday, Craig, Julia, and I hit the malls shopping for that 'special' gift. The jeep was packed and we were pooped!

On Saturday, Grandpa Bill and Sharon came to our house to share in another yummy turkey dinner. (I couldn't go through Thanksgiving without preparing a turkey with all the sides!) After dinner, Craig dragged the small Christmas tree from the attic and Sharon, Julia, and Grampa Bill decorated it with the box of Santa tree ornaments! (I wasn't going to put up a tree this year, but I was guilted into decorating the small one!) When it was all done, I was happy!

Sunday, we all went to church and enjoyed left-overs for dinner! The fun, fast paced, weekend quickly ended when we packed Julia up for her long trip back to Bourbonnais to finish her third semester at O.N.U.

Again, I look forward to our next holiday when the family can be united once again! I miss the activity when our children are away! Tis the season to be jolly!

Thanksgiving Blessing

Thanksgiving is a special time of year! The colorful leaves fall from the trees and there's a crisp breeze in the air. The colorful horn-a-plenty is filled with special blessings! During this Thanksgiving time, may you be uplifted by the cool autumn air, may your heart be warmed by moments filled with special family joys. May your soul be touched by God's wonder as you celebrate Thanksgiving with your families! May His beauty be all around you. Happy Turkey Day to you!

Boo . . . Trick or Treat!!

Isn't Craig the cutest little treat "passer outer"??

Tonight was a fun Halloween night! :) Craig and I enjoyed passing out treats to the many "brave" little (and big) Trick-or-Treaters! Some came with umbrellas, while others had garbage bags over their costumes to keep them dry from the rain! It was fun to see their happy little faces light up when they received one more treat for their goodie bag! Oh, how I miss the days when our kids would dress up and go door-to-door in the neighborhood! Those were the good ole' days!! Boo! Happy Halloween!!

Pentwater pictures

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

Pentwater Weekend

I've just returned from a "perfect up north girlfriend weekend"! My 10 girlfriends and I headed to Pentwater Friday afternoon to celebrate Brenda's 50th birthday! We all stayed together in Debbie and Mark's beautiful home, just a few blocks away from the breathtaking Lake Michigan! During the weekend, we took long walks, ate lots of yummy foods, went to a Bed and Breakfast for a lovely surprise birthday luncheon (red hats and all), picked out the perfect pumpkins at a darling pumpkin farm, enjoyed the beautiful fall colors, shopped, cried, laughed, and ate some more! Our bonds of friendship grow deeper when precious time is spent together. I am so grateful and appreciative for the blessing of these women . . . together we've struck the cords of harmony! They've willingly opened their arms to welcome me into their friendship circle! A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart!! Thanks, Bobbie, Karen, Denise, Marilyn, Brenda, Barb, Meleia, Sharon, Stella, and Debbie for touching my heart!! I love you girlfriends!!

Dance Club

(Steve, Kathy, Mark, Gina, Tony, Sue and Craig and me)

Tonight was a big night! Craig and I got all spiffied up and we went to the Flint Golf Country Club for the Flint Dance Club. We had a delicious dinner and we 'danced the night away'! The big band was fantastic ! We saw a lot of old friends and became acquainted with some new people! As much as I dreaded going, I was pleasantly surprised! It was a delightful evening, getting all dressed up and fancy. Now, the worry begins as to what I'll wear for the next one . . .
ooh la la . . . I'll be puttin' on the ritz!

Windy city . . . :(

Well...my heart is sad, and our house is quiet and still . . . Late this afternoon, Julia headed back to the 'windy city' for another six weeks of classes. I totally enjoyed her company while she was home for the past four days ~ my heart is heavy she has gone back to ONU! We've spent every waking hour together, shopping, talking, eating (ugh...), and just hanging out! My daughter is . . . a joy bringer, a heart warmer, a memory maker. . .my daughter is love! When she is away, I miss her so-so-so much! I hope she knows she puts the sparkle in my eye, the twinkle in my toes, and the song in my heart! I love her and I'm looking forward to our time together at Thanksgiving!!!

Pooped . . .

I'm wondering if it's too late to change careers! How am I going to do this job for 5 more years? I get to school at 7:00am and leave at 6:00pm. I go 60 mph all day, without stopping! When I finally get home, I'm beat, my feet ache, and I crash at the kitchen table only to pull out my book bag and finish correcting the stack of papers that I didn't get to during school! Teaching is truly a blessing and I totally LOVE what I do . . . I just think I'm getting too old to keep up~ too pooped to participate! Sometimes, when the children look at me and say ..."OOOOHH! Now I get it!!!", I'm reminded why I'm a teacher! Say a prayer for me! I certainly need it!

Exciting . . .

Julia is on her way home from ONU for a much needed l-o-n-g weekend! She'll be with us until Tuesday afternoon!! Craig and I have looked so forward to her being back at home with us - - our 'empty nest' will be full of activity once again!!! I hope she has time to rest, relax and hang out! I can't wait to see her!! Maybe she'll say "GNLU" once again!

Gloomy day

Today was a gloomy, chilly, rainy day. It was the kind of day where I'd just prefer stay in bed a little longer or write a long, sappy letter to a friend. Today was the kind of day I'd rather sit by the warm fire sipping tea and looking out the streaked window at the flowers bowing their heads to late autumn days! Today would have been a great day to bake cookies and stay in my pj's all day! Instead, I hopped out of my warm bed and raced to school, hurried to Sam's on my way home, rushed home to fix dinner, corrected a stack of papers, and finally...I'll sit quietly to reflect on my Monday, my "shower" of blessings, day! I guess the old song was true...Rainy days and Mondays always get me down! Tomorrow the sun will shine and I'll be reminded that autumn is just like spring, but every leaf's a flower...red, orange, crimson, bronze, and yellow! Rain, rain, go away! Come again another day!

Bunco...

Notice Margaret's and my 'bunco babe' shirts!!

Last night was our monthly Bunco night! It was hosted by Barb at Missy's beautiful house (because Barb's house is under major reconstruction)! She provided us a delicious meal catered from Italia Gardens, which we all enjoyed! We always have a fun time together laughing and catching up on each other's latest bits of news. Ding, ding, ding went the bell and the dice began to fly! Every now and again, you'll hear someone scream "BUNCO" when they've rolled three of the correct number! Cheers and moans and groans rise from the crowd! The best part of the evening is the prize time! Last night I won a great prize . . .a beautiful picture for my family room... even though I was the loser!!! Sometimes it pays off to be the loser!! I always look forward to our bunco evenings!! "BUNCO!!"

Menopause. . .

( Missy and me at my wonderful 50th birthday party!!!)

Yesterday, Missy, Mary, Susan, Judy and I went to see Menopause The Musical in Lansing. (www.menopausethemusical.com) We laughed continually for 2 hours. Isn't it funny when you see your life flash across the big stage ??. . . 'Welcome to my world'!! Our evening began at the 'Big Easy' where we enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner! (I totally enjoyed every morsel of my tilapia with lemon butter caper sauce!! Yummmmmy!!) We arrived at the quaint, small, Fairchild Theater in East Lansing, without a hitch. It was a relaxing evening, and fun to be able to sit back and laugh and poke fun at things such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, wrinkles, night sweats and eating binges. Changes . . . not fun. Maybe someday I'll look back and smile! I'm learning real women don't have hot flashes . . . they have power surges! Surge on!!!

. . .one pooped girl

Isn't this a lovely pose?! . . .One pooped girl!

What a day I had today! I headed off for school this morning at 7:00am, listening to the radio and planning my day! After hearing the weatherman give the daily temperature of 85, I couldn't remember if I had put on any deodorant. (Duh...it's all downhill after 50!!) Knowing I certainly would be needing deodorant in my little 'sweat box' classroom, I quickly pulled into Walgreen's in Flushing to purchase some. (Phew...got that little problem taken care of!!) I arrived at school, taught all day, meet with two parents after school, responded to some emails, and at 4:30, I headed to church to work in the coffee shop. I love working there because I get to spent time with Karen and Brenda! How is it that friends can energize me? I so enjoy their company! I left the church at 7:30, ran to buy dog food, do a quick return at Target (if there is such a thing!!), and headed for home at 9:00pm. My feet hurt, my hair's flat, my make up is all off, and I'm pooped! Fourteen hour days are not a good thing for a 50 year old! I must run to bed so I can start over again tomorrow!!! :)

T.G.I.F.!!

Friday night Craig and I went to dinner with Tom and Connie! They picked us up around 6:30 and we headed to Mr. Brown's Backyard. We each ordered the 'fried perch special'. It was delicious . . . and we all ate far too much!! On the way back to our house, we snuck into Brent and Sara's garden to pick some of their tomatoes. Tom and I tiptoed through the damp plants and rescued a handful of red, juicy, cherry tomatoes. (Boy, are they good!!) Together, the guys shared golf stories and Connie and I discussed Adrienne's wedding plans. How is it possible that she and Patrick will be married in June? I still picture her as a little girl with dark curly hair and those big beautiful bright eyes!! I am certain of one thing, Adrienne will be a beautiful bride! What an exciting time for them to plan and prepare for this special occasion!

Friends - time together

Today was another wonderful day! It was our birthday celebration for Gail ~ Diane and I took her to a quaint little cafe in Clio, 4 Katz, for a delicious lunch. We shared rich conversations and several giggles, too. After a long and relaxing lunch, we left the cafe and drove to the movie theater to see Mr. Woodcock. Again, we shared some laughs but it isn't a movie I'd recommend others to see! A day spent with Diane and Gail is never complete without a stop at T. J. Maxx! After rummaging through the store for over an hour, we headed home, our arms brimming with bags.

Days spend with my friends are precious and dear. I am so blessed to have these girlfriends in my life - - they are my confidants, my therapists, my personal trainers, my secret sharers, and my sistas!! Thanks, Diane and Gail, for filling my life with joy, my heart with with love, and my soul with sunshine! We are truly a circle of friends!

Lonely days

Once again, Craig and I have experienced the "empty nest" syndrome in our home. Jonathan and Julia are at their schools, and Dad left yesterday to return to sunny, warm Phoenix! He was so looking forward to his return to the southwest! I, however, am already missing him very much! Each day throughout the summer he'd join us for dinner - - a time we all looked so forward to. Now, Craig and I sit across the table from one another, asking the same 'how was your day' questions, secretly wishing the room was teeming with family! I look forward to the times we're all together, eating around the table, laughing, and sharing stories with one another. In my opinion, a crowded nest is always the best!!

New love . . .good news, bad news

This spring I fell in love with the Tropical Smoothie Cafe. I have to blame Julia as she was the one who introduced me to their delicious, creamy smoothies! She and I frequented TSC often. Early in the summer, Gail, Diane, and I went for a smoothie 'dessert' after a delicious meal together. Throughout the summer, Diane, Julia, and I began to eat their yummy wraps and sandwiches on a regular basis! Well, Saturday, Diane and I went, had a fantastic chicken wrap and smoothie. (Of course, we couldn't waste those valuable 'buy one, get one 1/2 off' coupons!!) Upon leaving, I asked for a nutritional guide of their menu! I WAS SHOCKED!!! I had been consuming SO-O-O-O many calories and fat grams - - no wonder I've outgrown my pants!! Knowing all along, a waist is a terrible thing to mind, I've decided to ONLY darken the doors of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe to purchase a low-fat smoothie with splenda! It's the beginning of my new weight loss program!! I am going to mind my waist and try to find it again!! Bummer!

2nd week

Well, I've completed my second week of school . . . and things are getting better! :) The children and I are learning (and figuring out) our classroom procedures and rules. I am slowly beginning to know each one and what they are capable of academically! Every day they come to school eager and ready to learn! I find it an awesome responsible to fill their minds with knowledge and help to prepare them for adulthood! Most of them are like little sponges, soaking up each and every word I say! I remind myself daily that students don't care how much I know until they know how much I care!! I hope my students feel loved! They energize and challenge me to rise to a new level on a daily basis! What a privilege it is to be their teacher! :)

Summer's end

Today is Labor Day . . . the very last day for summer fun! Oh. . . the good 'ol days of summertime! We had a great day enjoying the warm sun and cloudless sky! I ran errands, and worked around the house. Craig had a big golf outing in Lansing. We ended the evening with a cookout with Don and Diane, Dad, and Bob and Missy. We ate outside and later enjoyed the sights and sounds of the warm, crackling campfire! Summer, oh summer...it came and went so quickly! Sometimes I think SUMMER is the best word in the entire dictionary!

Tomorrow we will return to our classrooms, and begin our "fall" routine and schedule. Soon it will be Halloween, then Thanksgiving will arrive, and very quickly Christmas will sneak up on us. Shortly after New Year's, we'll celebrate Easter, and THEN, summer will arrive! Once again I'll be able to enjoy the warm summer sun and blue cloudless sky!!

I must always remember that winter is an etching, spring is a watercolor, summer is an oil painting, and autumn is a mosaic of them all! I'm looking forward to autumn!!

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Shop 'till you drop day!!

Oh My Gosh!!! Today was a wonderful 'last day of summer'. I began my journey at Sam's to stock my pantry with foods at 8:30am. Returning home, I unpacked my trunk and rearranged everything in the pantry. Diane called and she said she would pick me up at 11:00am to head off for a fun-filled day!! We began our journey at the Hallmark Store, where we each picked out a new Vera Bradley tote! (That only took us 2 hours!!) After Hallmark, we made a quick stop at Tropical Smoothie where we shared a delicious Totally Turkey wrap and I indulged in a Chocolate Chiller while Diane enjoyed a Jr. Jetty! (yummy!!) After our lunch we headed to Macy's to check out their Labor Day sales! After several hours of rummaging through the racks, we left with many bags brimming with good buys! Of course, we couldn't leave the mall without hitting Christopher and Banks! Again, we each had good luck there!! :) We were leaving the parking lot when I received a call from Craig. Don and he were just leaving to play golf! Great!! Off we sprinted to T.J. Maxx! I think we looked at every pair of shoes, tops, and pants in the entire store! We each spent an hour in the dressing room trying on our finds! We had worked so hard at shopping, we decided we need nutrition, so we beelined to Bar Louie's for appetizers and Diet Cokes! We had a great table on the patio where we spent the next two hours talking and laughing about the fun times we have together! Days like this are hard to beat! I'm so blessed to have such a special friend!! Friends fill my life with joy, they fill my soul with sunshine, and my heart with love! Thanks, Diane, for a great 'last day of summer'!

What a dork!!

Today was my first FULL day of school! I got up early (to watch the lunar eclipse) and to get an early start in my classroom. ("Being prepared each day" is one of my personal goals this year!!) So....I'm getting ready to leave and I asked Craig, "Do you think these white sandals or black sandals look better with my outfit?" He told me to wear the white ones! So... at 6:45am, I packed my lunch, loaded my car and hit the road to school. I was ready and prepared for my first full day! I arrived at school at 7:10, carried in all my 'stuff', talked with the janitor, dropped off my load in my classroom and headed to the work room to put together our classroom book! Reaching down to pick up my pencil, I gasped to see that I had neglected to change my shoes!!! I was wearing one white sandal and one black sandal! Grabbing my purse, I ran to my car, drove the 20 minutes home, switched into my other white sandal, hopped back into the car, drove (sped) the 20 minutes back to school and arrived at 8:10!! So much for being 'prepared'! I guess I'll have 178 more days to prove that I'm a prepared and 'together' teacher!! I know I can always deal with ANYTHING, as long as I have the right shoes!! I'm such a dork!!

first day at school

Well. . . we had our first day of school today and 31 precious children scurried into their seats to begin their 4th grade! They all arrived armed with new crayons, markers, and freshly sharpened pencils! Everyone seemed tickled to see their old friends and eager to meet the new students in our class. Sometime I am overwhelmed that I am responsible for teaching and reaching each child - - and I only have 180 days to do the job! Truly, I am honored and I count it a privilege to be their 'teacher'. I simply need to remember that education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire! My goal is to light 31 fires and keep them all burning this year!! I'm certain it will be another GREAT year!

San Francisco Trip

Here we are enjoying a delicious meal at the Cheesecake Factory - on top of Macy's! It was freezing cold, but we totally enjoyed our meal!!!

Where is Peggy? Was she taking our beautiful picture??
What a wonderful time we had in San Francisco!! We spent a week touring the city - learning about it's exciting history and past! We mastered the city transportation very quickly and certainly got our money's worth from the City Sightseeing Tour bus! Our '48 hour' ticket lasted ALL week! :)

Sad day . . .

Today is a very sad day for us! Tomorrow we are taking Julia back to Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. Where did our summer go . . . only 4 months ago she came home to relax, unwind, and hang out with family and friends. Time DOES fly when you're having fun! Our home will go from loud activity and excitement to quiet walls and emptiness! I will miss my sweet girl so very much!


It is exciting to help her move into and set up her new apartment! She will have 3 new roommates that will keep her company and busy! Each night when she goes to bed, I hope she will know I love her and that she's in my thoughts and prayers!