The car wash just down the road from us...

We had 80+ mph wind come through our town yesterday.

David said this car wash had just been purchased after being vacant all summer. Wouldn't that be a bummer?

I wasn't able to get a pic of the church yard across the street before they cleaned it up today but it was a mess from the insulation on this roof.

I could not see the wind yesterday, but I could sure feel it. This reminds me of my relationship with God. I cannot see Him yet I can feel and see the evidence of Him working in my life.

Riley Festival parade

Our family rode in the Riley parade to show support for Mike Shephard.

It was a beautiful day to be out and about.

That is Mike Shephard in the polo shirt

Cameron actually walked the 1 1/2 miles but this was him on the trailer before things got started.

The sea of Shephard for Sherrif shirts. David and Cameron are in there somewhere. Can you spot anybody else you know?

I've been married half my life today

Today is my 19th wedding anniversary. David and I went to the Indiana State museum to view the Titanic exhibit. When we arrived we were photographed in front of a green screen which allowed them to place us on the main staircase of the Titanic. We were given a boarding pass with a passenegers name on it, which class they were traveling and where they were headed.  I traveled with my husband and son and 2 servants. David's boarding pass had him traveling alone. It was alot of reading, several glass showcases with salvaged artifacts but a little hard to get the real oppulance of the ship. They had a "glacier" that you could touch. Near the end of the tour was a memorial wall where you found out if you were a survivor or not. I found out that "I" survived along with my servant but my husband, son and his servant perished. David figured he probably wouldn't have survived being a single traveler but we found his name on the survivor list.

We ventured into the Odd Indiana exhibit area and found some intersting things. This canoe is supposed to be tricky to get into but David had no problem

I decided to try on a bustle. What were the ladies thinking---adding girth to their backsides. Supposedly the bustle allowed the fabric to drape nicely. Whatever! They also had hair art. People saved their hair for making things and to add height to their hairdo. They had an original perm machine. Scary looking.

I love this time of year. It was a beautiful day to be out and about with my husband, my best friend.

19 yrs. and counting :-)

I love being surprised...

This beautiful tea pot came in the mail today. It was a special order and a surprise package from my Mother (and probably Daddy too, ha)

It is hand painted by a friend from when we lived out in Kansas. Colleen Taylor did such a beautiful job.

I have a collection of tea pots. I think this will go down as one of my favorites

Colleen even included this card.

Thank you for making my day, Mother and Daddy. Thank you, Colleen, for sharing your talents with me :-)

I don't know where the rule came from..

Who came up with the idea that it is just wrong to wear white shoes after Labor Day? Labor Day was last weekend so this weekend the girls and I headed out  in search of black pat ton leather church shoes. We found out that black pat ton is not readily available this time of year. WHY?!!!! When I told Ashley what we were looking for (not the pretty white sandals she found) and why (refer to original question) she promptly said "well that's dumb". I think I agree. The effort of this shopping trip led me to wonder why we can purchase Christmas trees in July but the fashion industry doesn't put out black pat ton shoes until after I have purchased the girls Fall/Winter footwear. We came home with black satin. Pretty but from the slash on the toe of Ashley's after one Sunday makes me think they aren't going to last long.

The girls closets have been switched from Summer to Fall/Winter. My least favorite project. The sorting, the storing, the washing, the ironing. The days have been getting cooler and we even had the air turned off for a few of them until today. It got plum hot in here. What is up with that? Doesn't the sun know that I have switched the closets!!!!!

Nap time

I usually come home from work and need a little rest before I can handle the duties of the evening. I was just waking up(don't think I had opened my eyes yet) when Ashley crawled on top of me. She squeezed me as tight as she could and kissed my face. Then settled in for her nap. I wasn't expecting this. Naps together are the best I guess :-)

It was a memorable time...

Church picnic and water gun fight 2010

Ashley Alexander, our church's activity director, planned a delightful evening. We brought our picnic food and water guns. The sky was a little gray at the beginning but that didn't stop the water fight. The kids had so much fun. You won't find me in the volleyball pics because I don't play volleyball :-) It hurts my arms too bad. I did get involved in the water fight a little. It was more temptation than I could bare to not squirt the kids with the water hose after helping them fill their super soakers. That gave them "permission" to soak me. Good times!

Ladies Day out

IKEA here we come. Me, Carolyn, Michelle, Kristen, Wanda, Diane and Ronda enjoyed a day out together. We headed over to Cincinnati where the shopping is so much more fun. Oh wait, maybe it was because we were enjoying a day away from responsibility and that would be fun anywhere. 

IKEA is a place to be experienced not described so I will let you go experience it and not bore you with my idea of the place. Worth experiencing and make sure you take a little money to make it that much more fun

If you are in the Cincinnati area it is only right to stop by and have some Graeders ice cream. 

When it is shared with friends it is the best.

Somedays....

can be a little crazy like Ashley here.

Then there are other days that go perfectly.

If mine isn't perfect it is not because I didn't try.

I hope your day was a perfect kind of day.

It's that time of year again

School started yesterday morning. The kids were excited to go back.

Cameorn is in the 5th grade, Sarah Brooke 3rd grade and Ashley is 1st grade

Momma with her treasures. We had a wonderful summer together. I feel rather melancholy about school starting.

David and the kids. This is my team. I'm their biggest fan!

Cameron's Cutie goes public....

David came up with the idea of putting a drawing of Cutie on a t-shirt for his birthday.

I loved the drawing and I think it turned out really fun on the t-shirt.

Psalm 18:32 NKJV "It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect"

David still loves me after all these years

I'm so lucky!!! :-)

We are counting down

I loved this random drawing I saw laying on the desk. Cameron loves to doodle while he listens to Odyssey.

Dear mailman...

This is a letter that Ashley has written to the mailman. She put it in the mailbox before heading off to school and has no idea that I have gone and gotten it. My name has been placed on a new Mommy list somehow and the other day we received a box of formula. We have passed along the samples but I guess she felt the need to let the mailman know.
The translation:
Dear Mailman I am writing a letter for you because the letter about the babys is a mistake so I would cross it out because we aren't having a baby

Just having some fun...

playing around in Dad's office and looking for that Executive pose

Or was it the I'm the sincere business man

I think we found it The goof

Here is David's Dad in his rightful place--the church Pastors office

The next generation

And the up and coming one

Then we arrived at Easley, S.C. to be with David's parents.

The weather was beautiful and we were treated to a cookout. Food tastes so much better when cooked and eaten outside.

We went to Bob Jones University to see the living galary. Real people depict ancient art work and sculpting, making it look 3D. They stood or posed so still that it was hard to tell the difference from real life or art. They had drama in between paintings and sculptures. Very beautifully done, very hard to explain but a must see for sure if you are ever down in Greenville around Easter.

Before the living galary event we had a little time to walk through the art museum there on campus. Ancient paintings from the 1600's. Amazing stuff. It is a special night for the students. We saw many couples dressed up and the ladies carrying bouquets of flowers.

Thanks Mom and Dad Going for giving our family a chance to experience the Living Galary and Museum.