Dance Club

Steve and Kathy

Steve and Rosie

Last night we had our Christmas Dance Club. It was a festive evening ~ everything and everyone looked so sparkly and pretty! It was a wonderful dinner and a great band! We're looking forward to our next!!

Christmas 2008

God bless you during this season of peace, hope, and light.

May your heart be merry and may your joy be bright!
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

More SNOW

When will the snow stop?? Every time I look outside, there is more snow! There's nothing like a cold and snowy snow day and a warm cup of mocha!! Aren't we blessed!

SNOW!!

Julia and Adam went outside to 'play' while it was snowing! They had snow much fun! :)

The snow just kept on coming and coming!! Our dream came true for a 'snow day'! Exciting!

Thanksgiving Blessing

Craig and I were very blessed to join Adam's family for Thanksgiving dinner. Together we shared a delicious feast! Mike and Deanne have been family friends for years, and it felt good to share the holiday with 'family'! We have so much to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving :)

Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving week! This poem says it all for me . . .

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Enjoy your time together with family!

SHOPPING!!!

SHOPPING!!! Today Karen, Sharon, and I went shopping! We all had good intentions of nailing our Christmas list but we didn't really have much luck! I bought a few things for ME... no gifts for the fam!! I hope I get in the 'spirit' soon so I can get this shopping done!! It would be nice to have some ideas and 'want' lists! Maybe I'll just get everyone the 'true gifts' of Christmas . . . peace, joy and love! We'd REALLY have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

Kroger!

My dear, sweet, friend, Brenda inspired me to grocery shop at Kroger! She had told me all their sales and her marvelous buys . . . butter for $2.50 a pound, evaporated milk for .50 , orange juice for $3.00 a bottle, granola bars for $1.50, and on and on and on! With her encouragement, I ventured to Kroger after a long day at school! I went up and down the aisles, searching for just the right buys! After almost 90 minutes, I had finished my mission! I had purchased 10 bags of 'stuff' (nothing of which I really needed, but thought I might use some day... with the holidays coming up and all...)!! My grand total for everything was $204.05 BUT I only had to pay $105.27. I had saved $98.78! Wow!

What an experience! Kroger really is the Right Store and the Right Price!!

So...if you need some butter, or granola bars, give me a call! I have an excess! :)

Halloween

Yummy candy. . .

Tonight was Trick-or-treat night! Craig worked on the computer while I answered the door to hundreds of ghosts and goblins. It was fun seeing the little ones donned in their costumes! Watching the kids show up at our door brought back fond memories when our children were young! Fun times!! :)Top L - our faux jack-o-lantern
Top R - Craig working on the computer
Bottom L - Craig pretending to pass out treats
Bottom R - Kim getting ready to eat more treats!!

Hmmm...U of M or State??

There was some friendly competition in our house this weekend! Adam showed up Friday evening wearing 'State gear' and Craig was donning 'Michigan' gear! Normally, Adam is a die hard Michigan fan, but has become slightly loyal to State since he began Law School at M.S.U.! I guess Adam was the real winner on Saturday . . . didn't REALLY matter which team won - he'd win either way! Go BLUE!!

Fun Times

Adam and Julia have so much F-U-N together! They laugh, giggle, and snicker when together!

Saturday they went to the "Big House" to watch Michigan get beat!! They had a great time at the game, and buzzed around Ann Arbor! Julia had never been to a Michigan game so it was a big treat!!

He even tolerated a 'photo shoot' by the beautiful red bush!!

It's been said that in the sweetness of friendship, there is laughter and sharing of pleasures! It warms my heart to see Julia and Adam having fun and sharing laughter together! "Friends fill your life with joy, your soul with sunshine and your heart with love".

Last night we had our first 'Dance Club of 2008'. We had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed dancing to to big band. It's always fun getting dressed up, joining friends, and having an evening out! It was great having Doug and Barb and Jack and Cathy join in this year! We're looking forward to the upcoming dances . . . and we must practice our fancy footwork!

Happy Sweetest Day!!

Isn't he a handsome sweetie?! :)

This morning my 'sweetest' surprised me with an iced coffee and whole wheat bagel from Tim Horton's! I also received a beautiful, heartfelt greeting card and a yummy dark chocolate treat! WOW!! What an awesome Sweetest Day. It's true... a real soul-mate is the one you are married to!! Hmmm...what can I do to surprise him? I hope YOUR day is sweet!

Empty nest . . . again

It was great having Julia home this weekend for her fall break! After she left, our house was still and quiet once again! We LOVE to have our house full - - our kids add so much joy to our lives!

Yummy...

Yum!! :) A perfect fall snack!! There's nothing better than freshly popped corn with Honey Crisp apples! It was a delightful treat while watching Desperate Housewives!! To me, popcorn and apples go together like a wink and a smile!

Incredible Friday evening

Friday evening, Craig and I sat outside on our deck and enjoyed a bonfire. The weather was fantastic (for October 10th) and it just felt good to sit, quietly watching the red, yellow, and orange flames lift to the starlit sky. How often will we be able to enjoy the warm evenings before the snow begins to fly? "To everything there is a season - a time to keep and a time to let go - Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Signs of Autumn

FALL

Don't you just love 'fall'? Autumn reminds me of caramel apples, colorful leaves, and cool, crisp evenings. Pumpkin pies, cornucopias, candy corn, cranberry bread, and leaves flamed with color, crackling under your feet are all signs of fall! There's nothing better than a sunny, fall afternoon ~ the cool breezes blowing across your face, with the fresh smell of 'winter's coming'. Curling up under a fuzzy blanket, sipping warm apple cider is one of my favorite pastimes! I understand why birds fly around the earth seeking the successive autumns ~ autumn is like a second spring...every colorful leaf is like a flower! I wonder if there will be autumn in heaven.

Girl's Pentwater weekend

Another wonderful weekend! My 'girlfriends' have once again filled my life with joy, my soul with sunshine, and my heart with love! Seven 'girlfriends' spent an awesome weekend in Pentwater at Karen's house! God blessed us with crisp, sunny weather, great food, quiet walks, and special times together sharing our hearts! It was a perfect weekend for apple orchards, 'Octoberfests', pumpkins farms, and relaxing walks on the beach! It's been said that many people will walk in and out of your life . . . but only true friends will leave footprints in my heart! I feel so blessed to have their friendship!

Happy Birthday Kathy!!

Happy 60th Birthday, Kathy!! You look AWESOME!!

Last weekend, we celebrated Kath's B-I-G birthday! Friday night we had a terrific dinner at 'It's A Matter of Taste' ~ it was a very tasty dinner! Saturday we spent time together ~ sampling yummy apples at an apple fest, and shopping our way through Frankenmuth! It was a perfect birthday celebration! Sisters are a special gift! I'm so grateful we're able to share our hearts, hopes, fears, and joys! My sisters touch my heart in a way no other could! I love you, girls!! :)

Shopping in Frankenmuth

Grampa Vargo

Grampa Bill

We've had a rough two weeks. Last Tuesday we got a call that Craig's dad was having 'respiratory problems' and was being taken to McLaren. We meet him in ER and was we were told he was 'critical'. What does that mean?? Critical?? We had seen him just the night before and he was fine??!! After examining him, the doctors gently told us he wouldn't live through the night. Through the night??!! Family members were called and began to gather around his side. It was four short days later, he passed ~ into a much better place...a place without confusion, pain, suffering...a place of love, laughter, and joy. Letting go is never easy, however, we hold the promise that we will be together again. His smile and joyful spirit will be missed.

Dean, Grampa Bill, Sharon, Craig

Chicago

Last weekend, Craig and I drove to Chicago to see Julia. She had driven herself to school the week before (because Craig and I were both in class teaching) - her car packed to the top with everything she thought she'd need for her last semester on campus. We wanted to see where she was living, check out her apartment, her roommates, and just hang out with her. Saturday morning, we woke up and decided to take the commuter train into Chicago and do some site seeing. Craig had never ridden the train - it was a perfect day - so off we went! We shopped the Magnificent Mile, we went to the park and watched the crazy people, and we enjoyed a yummy meal together. At 9:30pm, we boarded the train to head back to Kankakee. It was a fun, unexpected day! Sunday, Julia and I shopped for apartment essentials, and Craig went to a National Boat Race. It was a perfect weekend ~ we are so blessed Julia is at ONU! It's always hard to say good-by, but we know she is in the perfect place!

Busy household

Craig, his mom, Joyce from Florida, and brother Dean from Kansas

Joyce (Craig's mom) and Dean (Craig's brother) were both in town for a family funeral! It was great having everyone together under one roof! Joyce never stopped working, vacuuming, cleaning, laundry, dishes, etc. We will certain miss her helpful spirit and kind words.

I can only imagine how wonderful it must of been having both of her boys together - at the same time - to enjoy! I look forward to those few minutes, every now and again, when I can sit between my two precious kids on the couch together. Warm, wonderful memories!!

Unfortunately, our home is back to it's 'empty nest' syndrome! . . . quiet, still and cold. I look forward to times when we're all together again!

I don't think she wanted me to be left!

My class

Vargo Victors - 2008-09

Aren't these the cutest kids you've ever seen? I have a wonderful classroom - filled with 25 students who LOVE to learn. They are great readers and writers! I am so blessed to have them all together in one room! Honest, they're REAL cute!

Pentwater weekend

The Pentwater Couple's Group

Last weekend, Craig and I joined nine couples in Pentwater for 'couple's weekend'. We had a wonderful time together! The guys golfed, the girls went to the beach, and together we spent time enjoying beautiful Lake Michigan and the warm, sunny, weather! We so enjoyed the conversations around the bonfires, the awesome fireworks on the beach, and the fabulous meals shared together! Time spent with friends is precious and few . . . we feel totally blessed to be included into this circle of friendship. What I love about these special friends is . . . they're the kind of friends who, unknowingly, leave footprints on my heart.

Fall Flowers

I love the fall flowers! These flowers make me smile! They remind me of hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all for their beauty. I'm so grateful God created beautiful flowers for me to enjoy!
Millions and millions of tiny, sweet, pink and white petals!
Could this be more perfect? Don't you love the sun shining on the petals?!
This sun flower was so proud to be growing! He held his head high to the sun!
This beautiful water fountain was on the back veranda of our hotel. It was so relaxing to sit outside and admire God's beauty!

FREE...

Isn't this amazing?!! We were driving down a country road and saw these fresh veggies piled up on the side of the road! FREE!! I walked away, leaving the vegetables in the neat pile because I wanted others to see and appreciate this wonderful sight! My life lesson from this picture is to try to s remain as 'cool as a cucumber' and always take 'thyme' to enjoy the small things in life!

Lake Michigan Weekend

Craig and I, and our dear friends, Don and Diane, just returned from a wonderful 'weekend getaway'. We began our adventure in Frankfort. Lake Michigan is an awesome site. This is the yummy breakfast we were served at our Bed & Breakfast. I felt like a queen! Diane and me at the Stafford Perry Hotel in Petoskey! It was a beautiful day and we were enjoying a drink on the porch! Notice Lake Michigan in the background. Life is good! :) Watching the sun set into Lake Michigan was awesome. It fills me with wonder and amazement to see such a beautiful sight. God is so good to give us this gift each day ~ he gift wraps each evening in beauty!! Don and Diane were enjoying the beautiful sights of Lake Michigan! Breathtaking! Craig and Don were checking out the golf course - Arcadia Bluffs! Awesome course!! Diane took me to Gwen Frostic's store in Frankfort. I hadn't been there in 30 years ~ when I took the high school girls from Interlochen to visit Gwen. She'd serve us lemonade and cookies and talk to us about her life. What an impact she had on us! It was such a treat to be able to go back and visit once again. Everything looked exactly as I had remembered!! I loved this view! It totally says it all... BEACH! Amazing beauty!!