Life...

I just need to say, I have a wonderful husband and life partner!! :)

I am so blessed, so very, very blessed!! And so undeserving, so very, very undeserving!!

So far the 30's have been the most painful time of my life, but also the most growing time.

Pray for me as I struggle through some issues in my life. While I have had a lot of encouragement today and in the past few days, I still have "stuff" to deal with! I will probably have more low days till it's all over, so if you think about it, I'd appreciate your prayers!

I could write so much more, but I can't seem to get my thoughts to flow....maybe later!

Good night and HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!! :)

Birth Day Anniversary! :)

So today is the 33rd anniversary of my birth day! Haha! :) Yeh, I'm getting old! Or not....I really am enjoying the 30's and think this is the "most growingest" time of my life. ;) That is not so fun, but I hope it can help me turn into a better person.

The last 2 weeks I have been having some serious struggles. Some days I just didn't feel like myself and that is NOT fun! I think I held some stuff in too long and then it all piled up and hit all at once!

I am not going to go into any detail, but just want to say that God has blessed me with a very loving and caring husband and I am so very grateful for that!! All issues are not resolved and I am sure I am going to have more low days till it is over. You can whisper a prayer for me if you care to!

So Thursday night we took my dead computer to our friends house so "he" (can't divulge any names since he fears being swamped with everyone's computer issues ;)! JK! ) could finish getting all my files off the hard drive. Now Dan can install a new operating system and then hopefully I will be good to go! :)

Well, Dan surprised me by having a birthday cake and ice cream there to celebrate my day early! :)

Saturday I went along on a field trip to the FSU Marine Biology Lab. It was for 6th graders and up, so only Danny and I went. Dan took Tamara on a Father/Daughter date!

We had an awesome day at the marine lab. I have pictures to add, but they aren't on this computer, so I may try to add them later and tell a little more about it.

So yeh, today is my birthday. Dan had to work at the prison and the kids and I visited our friends church. I was so blessed by the sermon and the worship service! SomeOne knew what I needed to hear!! Then a wonderful family surprised me and invited the kids and I to eat lunch with them and paid for my meal. I even got to wear a sombrero and got a yummy, free dessert.

Chaplain's Conference

Last Tuesday through Thursday was the Chaplain's Conference hosted by the Florida DOC.

All state Chaplain's were paid to go and the kids and I were invited to go along with Dan and share a villa with Doug & Marilyn Gingrich for free! :) This was our home for 3 days....the double sliding door on the bottom left was our bedroom, we entered the villa to the right of that in the little inset area.

Edgewater Beach Resort is a huge and beautifully landscaped resort! It is also advertised as a Golf Resort and has a golf course woven throughout the grounds.

This was our kitchen. I took food along for all but one of our meals. Dan ate lunch each day with other chaplain's.

The living area....

We did school Tues. and Wed. mornings before we hit the pools!! :)

This pool was right out our back door and got used a few times....




But the neatest pool was across the road at the beach front resort....the Lagoon pool!! The last time we were here (3 years ago) it was too cold to swim and we only admired this pool. This time we got to experience it!!

A view from the pool deck out to the Gulf....

Back to the pool.....there were quite a few water falls and islands and lots of little coves.

Danny~


Tamara~
The beach at dusk....

Enjoying the hot tub....yeh, it even felt good on a warm night! :)

The water was choppy that night, making it sound beautiful as the waves crashed on the shore!! :)


We saw a flock of pelicans fly overhead. I didn't realize they fly in a V as well!!


Wednesday we spent the day with Marilyn and her grandson Cristian. We had fun blowing bubbles!


And chasing them....

And then spent more time swimming and went for a walk on the beach!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO


Wed. night we went to Pier Park and ate supper at Red Robin. It was a first for us and we had a great experience!!

Danny with his Freckled Lemonade :)

Dan and I got Guacamole Bacon Burgers!!! Talk about mouthwatering!! Mmmmm!! And they have endless drinks and fries!! :)

Yeh, they were that big!! :) You about had to bury your chin just to get 'em in!! :) :)

Thursday morning while Dan went to his last sessions, the kids and I packed up our stuff and helped Marilyn with Cristian while she packed. Then we picked Dan up at the conference center and loaded up all the sound equipment he took along from the prison.
Got home and unpacked and still had time in our day to relax!

Friday morning I was looking back at my pictures on Xanga from when we were at Edgewater 3 years ago and saw something about being Host family....all of a sudden it hit me....we were supposed to be host family at church on Sunday!! So I spent the day in high gear....cleaning and making food! :)
We had a church full of visitors on Sunday, but they ALL had lunch plans. Most of them were there because of a family wedding in the area. So we enjoyed having lunch and visiting with the Lewis Family

Now it's back to a full, normal week of school. :)

Yummy!!

While in PA, we did some food shopping! :) There are certain foods I grew up with that I love to bring along home when I get the chance. Like Lebanon Bologna, Cheese, Wenger's Hamloaf, John Martin's Scrapple and Dieffenbach's potato chips!! :)

Yummy!!

While in PA, we did some food shopping! :) There are certain foods I grew up with that I love to bring along home when I get the chance. Like Lebanon Bologna, Cheese, Wenger's Hamloaf, John Martin's Scrapple and Dieffenbach's potato chips!! :)
Yesterday I had a hankering for scrapple so I made some for lunch.....


Cut it in thin slices, cover in flour and fry in butter!! :)


Cook up some eggs....

Cover the scrapple in molasses......

And voila'!! :) Oh, I forgot...there is a Martin's Potato Roll under the eggs!! :) :) :) YUM!! It was wonderful!

Computer Issues :(

My computer is on the blink and I was having trouble getting into my blog for some reason, using Dan's laptop. I finally got in, but all the rest of my trip pictures are on my dead computer. I hope we can get it fixed soon, but that requires time and $$, so we'll see.

In the meantime, I am going to do this "popular" Simple Women's Daybook
FOR TODAY…

Outside my window...a nicely mowed yard, clear blue sky and only 90* out there!! :)

I am thinking...about my life...so many things to keep improving on! I guess that's why they say life is a journey! Thankful for my friends, family and God who are traveling it with me!

I am thankful for...my family!!

From the kitchen...out to eat tonight, on the way to our rollerskating party. So no cooking today!!

I am wearing...my normal...a denim skirt and t-shirt.

I am creating...nothing crafty. Just a plan to simplify my life!

I am going...to our homeschool groups Back to School Rollerskating Bash tonight!

I am reading...through my Bible...just finished Exodus today! Also reading "Refuge", a book about domestic violence and abuse against women. Just some knowledge to put away for my future...Dan hopes that someday I will assist him in his Counseling venture! :)

I am hoping...Dan's itchiness is gone. His feet and hands were really itchy all day yesterday. Benadryl helped, but we don't know what caused it??

I am hearing...the second set of CD's of the Jonathan Park series- my kids new love! :)
Around the house...Danny is painting, Tamara playing quietly in her room, the washer is running getting clothes ready for a weekend of camping!

A few plans for the rest of the week...rollerskating tonight...then camping with our church family ending with the annual Labor Day picnic. Looking forward to Lonnie's BBQ chicken and a kettle of boiled peanuts!

From my picture journal...our family last November :)