It's Official

I'm OLD! Last night, I watched, (with much glee, I may add) the Kennedy Center Honors. I honestly remember sitting through this as a child at my grandmother's house thinking I wish she could get more than one channel on the tv. A few years ago, I glanced at it again, thinking I knew a couple of the people mentioned but didn't really have that big of thing for them.

Last night though... George Jones,Morgan Freeman, Twila Tharp, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and Barbara Streisand. All of them fabulous in my eyes.

It was a great, touching tribute to all of them but I think my favorite part of the whole night was when Rob Thomas was singing Teenage Wasteland and the NY Police Department and Fire Departments were singing backup. My second being when Idina Menzel sang for Barbara Streisand. It was just a great program.

The George Jones tribute was wonderful too, my mom and dad loved George Jones, they used to have all his 8-tracks and we would listen to them endlessly in the car. I thought it was interesting that they mentioned how his drinking ruined his marriage to Tammy Wynette. I felt a bit sorry for his present wife who was sitting with him, but this period was part of his history so it had to be told.

All of this while sitting on the couch, crocheting, yep, I think it's official.....

My Hero!!!

When I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, the two main things on my list were a little unusual. First, I wanted my garage door fixed, 2nd, I wanted my dishwasher fixed. My garage door opener has been broke for over a year now. I kept saying "if someone would get me the model number and tell me what parts to order, I will order them." To which Andrew replied that he had laid the model number on my desk, TWICE. Okay....I normally question anything that someone else lays on my desk but oh well. A couple of weeks ago, he gave me the model number and the parts he needed. Today, he fixed my garage door!!!! I know this is a petty little thing to most people but it is huge to me. Invariably, I would pull the van out of the garage and open the door and step straight in a puddle, or ice, or snow, to go close the door. Now, I don't have to be out in the weather at all until I get to work. I am so excited I can't hardly stand it. We are still waiting on the parts for the dishwasher, it has only been broke a couple of weeks, it won't take a year to fix it, because quite honestly, the piece that is broken, I know I can fix when it gets here. I am just so darned excited about my garage door though, Thank you again, Baby, ( for the millioneth time!)

Post Merry Christmas

Would you believe I have started to post today about 4 times. Each time I realized what I was saying was really not what I wanted people to read. I was just venting. I do not even know the Riedle family but I am heartsick for them. I don't understand why...I know we aren't supposed to question, but how can we not. Every time I started to post, it sounded like I was feeling sorry for myself and for my mom for going through life without my dad...and I was...so I would delete it and walk away.
Now, I am just praying for them and hoping they find the peace that I have finally found today.

Christmas was busy at our house, Robert spent his, I believe 4th Christmas in bed (we have had two in the ER, so at least we weren't there), he started throwing up about 10 Wednesday evening, shortly after my sis and bro-in-law got here. He spent the entire time anyone was here, in bed, asleep. He got up about a half an hour last night, long enough to take a shower and go back to bed. I had Sis call my niece and nephew and tell them he was sick in case they didn't want to walk into it but they came down for a little while yesterday afternoon anyway. He didn't come out so I'm pretty sure the germs were contained and I Lysoled so hopefully we are good. He was up and around this morning, much better--this is how he has always gotten a stomach bug, 24 hours of puking and sleeping then fit as a fiddle. He went to Tika's this evening so I hope he is really fine, he ate good today though so I think he is. Andrew is at work, would you believe they had to set Valentine's Day last night. Whatever.
I have been trying to figure out how far behind I am with scrapbooking and trying to get motivated to do some pages, I don't think it is happening tonight. Somehow, I am booking up my next week too, I really think vacation is going to go too quickly, now you can all laugh around Wednesday when I say I am ready to go back to work!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, I think we all got a dose of remembering to be thankful for what we have and for those who are close to us- we never know what tomorrow holds, or the next 10 seconds for that matter. After my dad had his first heart attack, my mom didn't want him to leave the house. He kept telling her, "Honey, none of us know when we wake up in the morning if we will be alive to sit down to dinner that night." I try to live my life remembering that-don't miss any opportunities to let people know you love them. I love you guys and am really thankful for the technology that lets us know what is up in each other's lives. Take care, and may 2009 bring brighter days for all of us!

A few of my Favorite Things

Our Christmas tree has evolved over the years, from that first all white and silver tree to the memories of our life, recorded in little pieces of glass, plastic, a little bit of metal and a lot of sentiment.This was the ornament we got Robert to commemerate him getting Lizzy, 2005.

This was an ornament a coworker got me the year we got Chrissy, also 2005.

I LOVE the St. Louis Science Center, I LOVE St, Louis. The bow around the Science Center is a big tradition in St. Louis. It started out as a prank by some U of St. Louis students, but has turned into a holiday tradition. This also reminds me of the day my mom rode to St. Louis with me for one reason, and one reason only--to get this ornament.

One of many ornaments Robert made at school, he wasn't very happy that day, was he?

This was one of the last ornaments my mom and dad bought before my dad died. We were in Terre Haute at Walgreens, in the mall. Mom bought them to hang on the chadelier in our living room.

This was one of the ornaments Andrew bought for our first tree.

This is an ornament that belonged to his mom and dad.

This ornament was given to me by Creative C, yes, there is a story behind it-ask either one of us, I am sure she remembers too, but I have redeemed myself because she loves my enchiladas.

I hang it on my tree each year, thankful that I know I have one friend who will tell me the truth even if I don't want to hear it.

My most prized ornament, my tree topper, she turned 51 this year. My mom gave it to us our second Christmas, Robert's first, she decided it was time it be passed on. She told us of the first year she and Dad were married, they didn't have much but they went to the woods and got a tree. They bought the angel and it was our family tree topper from that year on. Every year, I hold my breath as we plug her in to see if she lights; every year, she hesitates for just a second then she comes on. I am thankful that I know Andrew will rewire her the first year she doesn't but the fact that her little lights have burned faithfully for our family through my entire life just means something special.

A Very Welcome "Day off"

I had already decided last night that if there was no school today, I would take a personal day at work. I had 7 more hours coming before the end of the year, but considering I am taking vacation in a week, I had originally decided just to add it to the vacation time. I have to admit though, the number of things I wanted to get done around here was mounting up and Saturday is out of the question. So, I was up at my normal time, 4 a.m. to start my rebel day, please note, I can't tell you when I have EVER taken a day off just to take a day off, my last day off was the 6th of July and that was because I had a periodontist appointment in Terre Haute. Then, Susie from the office called and said the office was closed, so I don't even have to use any of my time!!
I have had THE BEST day! My house is cleaned, my craft projects for my coworkers are all done (which HAD to be done by Friday), my pantry is stocked, my laundry is done and it is 8:28 p.m. and I could actually go to bed guilt-free. I told Andrew I thought maybe I wanted to quit my job and stay home. He laughed, he thinks I will be a nutcase by the time my vacation is over because that is something else I have NEVER done- taken a vacation and just stayed at home. He is probably right, but I have a million plans, and if every day is like today, it is going to be great!

Cookies!!

When our high school kids had their "planning night" at the beginning of the year, one of the things they wanted to do was bake Christmas cookies for the younger AWANA kids. The date was set for the Sunday afternoon before the program which equals THIS afternoon.......

and the results........

After they were done with cookies, they have been having a rock band concert.....

If you drove by and thought it looked like my house was shaking, it probably was!!! They had a good time though, we had a good time. What an awesome bunch!!!

El Camino Update

Well, thoughts of the El Camino being legal by Christmas have been dashed. Last Monday night, the guys started working on the lights. They bought new bulbs for the tail lights and hoped and prayed that maybe that would be all it really needed besides a lens or two. Well.....when they went to put the bulbs in, there was nothing to put them into, the housing and sockets were all but gone. So, now Robert's Christmas is two new tail light housings, two lenses and 4 sockets, (thank goodness for elcaminoparts.com) totally over $250. Hopefully, the head lights are in better shape- I think they are afraid to look! One step at a time, one step at a time....

Our First Tree

I told you I would have a post on this before Christmas. I have always believed we had a fairy tale courtship, this was just one more thing that made me believe that.

The year we started dating Andrew had already worked for Walmart for 8 years. Due to the schedule Walmart management keeps, most of those Christmas's were spent alone, no time to get to his parents and back in the time he had. He had also experienced 8 Black Fridays and had come to the conclusion that most of the world no longer knew what Christmas was anyway. When we started dating, I nicknamed him "Scrooge" and he was fine with that.

On Saturday, November 30th, I was working until 6 at the Decatur Walmart, Andrew got off at 4 so he came up and we were going to spend the evening shopping and going out to dinner. We went to the mall and going up the escalator at Kohl's there was the most BEAUTIFUL tree, I had ever seen. It was a traditional green tree with all white, clear and silver decorations. It had three blue spotlights shining on it. It was gorgeous.

On Monday evening, Andrew called me at work, he asked if I would come by his apartment on the way home. I was working until 9 that night but told him, it would be late, but I would be there (of course this was the night we decided to elope). I walked in the door of his apartment and was greeted by this tree, identical to the tree at Kohl's. I just stood in amazement, it even had the blue spotlights shining on it. Monday, he had the day off, he had drove to Decatur took pictures of the tree, went back to Walmart, had one hour development develop them, and bought all the things, including the tree and the blue spotlights at Walmart (he's such a good Walmart associate). You must remember, he had time to go pick out our rings that day too!

Andrew still gets dragged down by the commercialism of Christmas, Walmart started playing Christmas music at 12:01 a.m, November 1, yes, the morning after Halloween. He also has family to come home to though, and a home and a community that he belongs to, that makes all the difference in the world.

Our Anniversary

Thank you everybody for the anniversary wishes. Our Saturday plans weren't as dull as I had originally thought. My sister got a new computer and need it programed and all of her old files taken off, so on Thursday, I found out we were going to get to make a trip to Lincoln. I was thrilled because I wanted to do something that day but wasn't finding a good reason--this was a good reason. Robert went shopping with Tika, her mom & sister and a friend of her sisters so they were going to be gone all day. We left as soon as Andrew got home from work, and of course, ran next door and had Hardee's biscuits, this year's version--Strawberry, they were good and a good start to our day. We made it to Sis' around noon, she served us a great lunch and then I worked on her computer, Andrew got a nap in while I was doing that, we left her house at a little after 7 and stopped at Hometown Buffet for dinner (we are going to Evansville next weekend and there is a Greek Restaurant there that we will officially call our "Anniversary meal because of the price). We made it home about 10:30, we had a great time just being together, we stayed up and waited on Robert who finally made it in about 11:30. All in all, it was just a really nice day.

Happy Anniversary to Us!!

17 years ago today, Andrew and I left my house at 6:00 a.m headed for Kentucky, our mission- to get married, technically we eloped, though my mom knew we were doing it, as did just a few of my friends. See, we had been dating for 6 weeks, we realized we both had a three day weekend on the 6th, 7th & 8th of December. On Monday, the 2nd, Andrew asked me if I would like to go to St. Louis for the weekend--his plans were to ask me to marry him at the top of the Arch. I told him, I really thought he was the one and the thought of me going someplace alone with him overnight would make my mom never like him. So he says, "Then lets go get married Friday morning". I about fell over, and said, "What about rings" which he replies--I bought them today, they are being sized and I will have them Thursday. This was also the night he put up the Christmas tree for me--another post before Christmas, I promise. Of course, I said yes, and went home and asked Mom how serious she was about her suggestion we elope (we had started making wedding plan "unofficially" and it was getting out of hand so she had practically begged us just to do this).

On Thursday night, the rings were in, I had worked in Decatur all day and was coming to Effingham to go bowling with a league I was on there. I stopped by the store to see Andrew and he took me to the office, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him--YES, AT WALMART!! So, if you are getting all this, it was the anniversary of our offical engagement last night, we were engaged for about 15 hours.

We made it to Henderson KY, about 8:00 and was already third in line to get married. We had to sign papers that said we were no closer than 3rd cousins (all the things they say about KY--it's true). Anyway, we got to pick our ceremony, so we had the traditional Christian-"Do you take this man....thing" with the justice of the peace who looked like Colonel Sanders, and the door of the court room proped open to the secretary's office, so the two women typing away were our witnesses.

We went to Hardee's and had Cinnamon and Raisin biscuits, naming that our official wedding cake- so yes, we normally visit a Hardee's on our anniversary, and we will today.

I had known Andrew for 2 years, we had always been friends and I think it was around May of that year, that I realized I really, really liked him. I guess it started being aparent to everyone else that he liked me that summer but we worked in the same store and he was my boss so that was a no-no. When I transferred to Decatur to catch shoplifters, he asked me out. We still have people who work for Walmart that believe we were dating behind everyones backs, we weren't but I knew 20 minutes into my first date, I was going to marry him and obviously he did too.

Happy Anniversary Honey!

A Nice Quiet Week...How Interesting-NOT!!

Last night, Andrew commented that I hadn't updated my blog forever, it had only been since Friday but whatever..... Honestly, it has been quiet around here this week, which is a change. It's funny, my December looks more manageable than the last few months and there are a lot more nights at home. Last Saturday night, Tika came over and we all watched a movie together, last night was Awana, we are holding steady with 9 faithful teenagers, 3 of them were at my house after school, which I am also used to now, I just make crockpot suppers on Wednesday so there is plenty for whoever shows up.

Friday afternoon is our work Christmas party, it's at Richard's Farm, so that should be good. Friday night, I am playing my flute uptown from 6-6:45 for Holly Jolly Christmas, it just dawned on me this morning that I am probably going to need a flashlight, so that's on my to do list. Saturday will be mine and Andrew's 17th Anniversary. Robert is going with Tika and her family shopping, so we have the whole day alone. What do old married folks do when they have a day alone together? Probably decorate for Christmas, which I still haven't gotten done. Of course, Andrew has to work Friday night so Saturday morning he will want to get a few hours of sleep. The guys are neither one willing to put up the outside lights without the other one so I guess that is happening Sunday afternoon. See, how exciting is all of that?? Believe me, it's kinda nice but kinda strange all at the same time. I am so used to having to be 2 and 3 places at once that I feel like I am forgetting things I am supposed to be doing. Of course, I am looking very forward to the week of Christmas, I take vacation from the 23rd to the 5th. When I first planned it, we had thought about flying out to see Andrew's dad, then we found out he was coming to Andrew's Grandma's so that was out. Now, I just have some time at home, which is rare --I already have several projects planned though. Okay, now I am babbling, it's time to get on with this day...Happy Thursday!!

Just me and my kid day

I am so thankful to God for giving me the relationship I have with my son. Today, we both were up well before dawn and on the road to St. Louis....to go shopping, together, just the two of us. We started this tradition when he was in a stroller and being in Pennsylvania, and the only people I really knew worked for Walmart (get the picture there was NOBODY off that day to babysit), I would just drag him along with me. Today, he drove me, so I guess the tables have turned a little. One year, I left him with my mom so I could shop for him, I went by myself and I was miserable (not to mention I got a speeding ticket on my way that morning that I kept a secret for over a year)...Anyway, I treasure each year that he still wants to go along. We don't really Christmas shop, we just bargain shop and eat, and visit and enjoy each other. Today was no exception. He was asked Sunday if we were taking his girlfriend, his reply: "Nope, it's a Mom and me day". It was a wonderful day for me, and I think it was for him too. (and driving to St. Louis Mills wasn't nearly the white knuckle experience for us this time!)

And By the Way.......

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

We had a very quiet Thanksgiving at home, Robert went and got Mom and her dog, Mandy and brought them down for dinner (disclaimer: Mom is perfectly capable of driving but Robert seemed to think she would be better not driving at night if she didn't have to). We also had pineapple cheesecake for dessert for Andrew's birthday- he is allergic to eggs so no bake cheesecakes win out over cake when we celebrate his birthday and pineapple is his favorite.

Andrew of course, had to go to work, to get ready for the crowds in the morning. BTW, the Olney store shrinkwrapped their pallets with CLEAR shrinkwrap this year-if you have ever been to a blitz at Walmart, you know it is usually wrapped in black, so this year you get a little extra heads up on where the stuff is going to be. One day last week, I got in the jeep and there was a clipboard of where everything was going to be laid out but I was a good wife and left it alone.

Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!

Did You Watch the Parade?

It seems I realize I have many traditions, one of them is watching the parade on Thanksgiving morning. I thought today's parade was really great and saw something that really intrigued me--The Awesome Original Second Time Arounders Marching Band; yes, it is the complete name- awesome included and of course, it is the alumni band on steroids. It was founded on the premise that band members never quit dreaming of marching one more time---hmmm.. there are more crazy people like me out there...that may be a scary thing!

Another really cool thing was Idina Menzel sang a song from her new album, I have got to get this! She was the original Elphaba from Wicked and though I have never seen her in person, I have the soundtrack with her singing. I love Elphaba and have always been more of an Elphaba fan than a Galinda fan.

Happy Birthday Honey!!

I thought it would be fitting to put this picutre in as this was the first pictures of us taken together, on Thanksgiving, the day after his birthday 17 years ago. This would result in being our only "engagement pictures" as a week and a day later, we eloped. So, it is the 17th birthday I have shared with him and number 44 all together.

This was taken the morning we left for Orlando with the kids last year, and this one......
was taken last Thanksgiving, as we shared our meal with the other band families at our hotel.

2008 Bands of the Year

Check this out!!!!

This is off of the ilmarching.com website.

Congratulations to Marian Catholic, Morton, Eureka, and Newton!

2008 Bands of the Year
Filed under:
News— ilmarching @ 5:59 pm
Every year after the marching season ends (after Grand Nationals), we conduct voting to decide which bands to name “Bands of the Year.” This year’s voting consisted of 11 voters, both Illinois Marching Online staff members as well as State of Illinois band directors - the largest turnout to vote we’ve had to date. All of the bands listed below have achieved high quality compared to their peers, and are worth of special honor.
This year marks the debut of our caption awards. Caption awards were discussed between the members of the Illinois Marching Online staff (band directors had no input). We hope these caption awards recognize special parts of some particular bands that really made this season outstanding.
Without further ado, the 2008 Illinois Marching Online Bands of the Year!

2008 Illinois Marching Online Bands of the Year
Division I1. Marian Catholic (87 points, 10 first-place)
2. Lincoln-Way East (68 points, 1 first-place)
3. Prospect (60 points)
4. Lake Park (55 points)
5. Victor J. Andrew (28 points)
6. John Hersey (24 points)
7. Lincoln-Way Central (22 points)*
8. Naperville North (22 points)*
Wins Tiebreaker: more ballot mentions
Outstanding Percussion: Victor J. Andrew
Outstanding Auxillary: Marian Catholic
Outstanding Winds: Marian Catholic
Outstanding GE: Lincoln-Way East
Outstanding Drum Major: Prospect

Division II
1. Morton (77 points, 11 first-place)
2. Lincoln-Way North (57 points)
3. Bloomington (35 points)
4. Lemont (32 points)
5. Dunlap (26 points)
6. Geneseo (24 points)
7. Washington (18 points)
Outstanding Percussion: Morton
Outstanding Auxillary: Morton
Outstanding Winds: Morton
Outstanding GE: Lincoln-Way North
Outstanding Drum Major: Galesburg

Division III
1. Eureka (39 points, 9 first-place)
2. Macomb (26 points)
3. Prairie Central (11 points)
4. Normal University (10 points)
IVC (1 first-place)Richmond-Burton (1 first-place)

Outstanding Percussion: Normal University
Outstanding Auxillary: Eureka
Outstanding Winds: Normal University
Outstanding GE: Eureka
Outstanding Drum Major: Herscher

Division IV
1. Newton (27 points, 6 first-place)
2. Tri-Valley (13 points, 3 first-place)
3. Atwood-Hammond (11 points, 1 first-place)
Watseka (1 first-place)

Outstanding Percussion: Atwood-Hammond
Outstanding Auxillary: Newton
Outstanding Winds: Newton
Outstanding GE: Atwood-Hammond
Outstanding Drum Major: Atwood-Hammond

Way to go Robert!

As many of you know, Robert has struggled for years with "booklearning". He can tear an engine apart and put it back together in his sleep ( he tore Mom's lawnmower apart at age 5, and yes, when he got it back together, it ran). His weakness has always been getting through school. Of course, this year he FINALLY got to take a shop class- which he has an A in, of course. The thing is, everything else has clicked, especially this semester. He has B's in History, Health and ENGLISH- he has NEVER in his life, had anything higher than a D in English. He has one C right now and that is in Geometry, but he and the teacher both think it could be a B by the semester's end. I am so very proud of what he is doing, for the first time in his life, I feel he really cares about his grades. Keep it up, kiddo. You are doing FANTASTIC!!!

Isn't this a cool picture?

The Logan County Courthouse is reflected in the chrome bumper of a classic car parked on the square. The new Route 66 signage will have a chrome theme to the new roadside signs.

Of course, I posted a couple of weeks ago that my sister, Nila, was doing freelance work for the Lincoln Daily News. This is really taking off for her and she has done several stories already. I think this is so cool because honestly, writing is her first love (and she is really good at it!). She also takes her own pictures though, which is also a hobby for her. I just thought this was too cool especially when you read the caption and see how it all ties into the article she wrote. I told her I think the neatest thing about writing for the paper is to be out and about and hear people talking and hear, "Well, I read in the paper....." and know that your story was what they were reading!

Here they are, the parade that was a year to date ago. Last year, it was the day before Thanksgiving, and pardon the pun but everything seemed to be "magical". I think it is funny that Robert marched in the middle of the tubas last year, eventhough he played trumpet. He is now part of the lower brass section-must of been a precursor of things to come. I thought it was funny because I was a rover for all four years, I marched where there was a hole farther up toward the front of the band, I marched in the trumpet section many times, and if there wasn't any holes for that particular parade, I would march between two of the bass drums, that was interesting on narrow streets.

This has been a whale of a week, I am SO GLAD it is Friday, I feel like I've "made it" through something although I have a million different directions to go today too. I do love being busy and I love the fact that my job is so diverse I never know where it is going to lead me. This week, it led me a lot of places, and it felt like all at once. The nice thing is, at 4:00 this evening, I am going to have everything I planned to have finished done and everything everyone else had planned for me to accomplish done also. That actually makes for a great weekend!

Happy Friday!!!

Where were you a year ago today?

I know where I was, on a charter bus on our way to Florida with the band. Wow, hard to believe that was a year ago, and at the same time, I WANNA GO BACK!!! We had such a good time on that trip. I will post pictures in a couple of days to commemorate the parade. Right now, I am traveling again, just not quite as fun this year (still fun but it's work too). I spent the morning in Paris and now I am in Tuscola. I have an energy workshop tonight at 5:30 here, it's gonna be a LONG day!

Black Friday

If any of the rest of you are crazy like me and get up at the crack of dawn on Black Friday, I want to share this website.
http://www.theblackfriday.com

This has the ads that have been leaked so you can plan your shopping day accordingly. Of course, if you look closely, you will see some like Wal-mart's part says it will release it when the store does, because Walmart theatened to sue but there are a lot of places you can look at anyway.

Have Fun!!

It Bloomed!!!

This actually happened earlier this week, just now getting a chance to blog it. On top of everything else, I am now realizing there are two little babies growing off the side of it. I am sure there is an object lesson (or several) in this.......

Pops- The Pictures

Another Pops concert is in the books. If you missed it, you missed some wonderful entertainment. I have already said all there is to say in praise of these kids, so now, here's the pics.



This is the dance Josh, Nick, Danny, Jared, Landon and Robert did during "It's Raining Men". When Robert came home and said they were doing "It's Raining Men", I said, "when you come home wanting your trench coat, I am going to worry." They were having practice for the concert on the same night we were having a meeting about the band classic, I told Landon's mom that, I bet she got a kick out of it when he came home that night and told her because that was the same night Robert walked in and said he needed to take his trenchcoat, as well as his dad's to school.
This is Robert's friend Leah, who did a wonderful solo and accompanied herself on the piano. My friend Sharon said Leah reminded her of Alanis Morissette, she has a beautiful voice. There were several wonderful solos and groups. One of my favorites was "Life in a Northern Town".Good Job kids!
Of course, here are the kids, it's nice that they are both in band and chorus both, at least they get to see each other while they are so busy.

Everyone Save the Date: Thouroughly Modern Millie will be performed April 16-19th. Can't wait!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!

My mom is turning 69 today! Happy Birthday Mom!

Absolutely Fabulous!!!

Anyone who is waiting until tonight to go to the Pops Concert- you will not be disappointed (Sarah, I think Jack will be mesmerized). Every year, those kids, and Mrs. Conour just simply amaze me. I brought my boss, Brenda and my friend Sharon from work. They were both quite impressed- this was Brenda's second year of coming, so she was excited from the get-go. Last year, one of my friends from work came and asked if these kids were really all from Jasper county. It IS hard to believe there is so much talent in one little community. I have pictures but thought I would save them until tomorrow plus I want to take a few more tonight.

Last year, Robert was part of the chorus and did little more than move the microphones in the dark. This year, he is one of the dancers in the second song and has a one line solo at the end. I wanted him to try out for a solo this year but he said that would be more his place next year, so I am going to hold him to it.

When you see these kids, remember that probably at least half of them are in band and we just came off of a big marching season with practices every Tuesday and Thursday night since the second week of August. The first Tuesday night that there wasn't band practice, they all went to school and worked on this concert (and have spent many more hours there since). I am amazed in a world where so many teens are into things they shouldn't be that we have so many brilliant young people who excel at the good things. I also am amazed at how tight knit they are. You can see this in their performances. There is just no way around it, in my eyes, our kids are AWESOME!!!

Remember, 7:00 tonight, five bucks will get you in, see you there!!!

Pops Concert

Tonight and tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m, you have the opportunity to see some of the county's brightest and best young people. If you have never been to a Pops concert, now is your chance. This is the same calibur of entertainment many people drive miles and miles to see. These kids are awesome and though I have only heard bits and pieces of what is going to be happening, This is not your typical chorus concert, this is truly entertainment. I can't wait. I get so enthused about their dedication, over half of them just came off of marching season and started in on extra practices for this. Hope to see you there!

My Sister, The Freelancer

I got an e-mail from my sister, Nila, yesterday, telling me to go to the Lincoln Daily News website and look at the Kenseth car picture, then at the Lincoln-Douglas debate story. When I saw the NASCAR name, I assumed I was looking because Richard would be in the picture, but I didn't know what the other would be about. So, I opened the page and sure enough, there was my brother-in-law looking at the Kenseth car, but at the bottom it said "Picture and Caption by Nila Smith". Then I turned over to the Lincoln-Douglas Debate story, which was a really nice big article and low and behold, it was by Nila also! When she was in high school, writing was her big thing, in fact she wrote several columns for the Newton Press called "The Bridge", which was created to "bridge the gap" between the community and the high school, basically telling the human interest side of High School. Now she has come full circle and is back to writing. I have to tell you it is really cool! Congratulations Sis!

Isn't It True???

My friend Ronda sent this out and though I had seen similiar ones, I just thought I would share for a good laugh. The very things that are listed on this post are many of the reasons I wanted to get as far away from Jasper county as I could. And how ironic, that once I got away, the very things that are listed were the same reasons I wanted to come home. Number 5 for me was more like "you got pulled over and your parents knew it before you got home", there was even one time, I didn't even get pulled over, a cop just called in my plates, I don't even know why, but it turned into a federal case really fast. Believe me though, it is still better to know everyone's business than to live in a duplex for a year and never be able to learn the people's name that basically lived under the same roof as you.

SMALL TOWNS
(If you did come from a background like this, you're gonna be going down Memory Lane for sure!)

Those who grew up in small towns will laugh when they read this. Those who didn't will be in disbelief and won't understand how true it is.
1) You can name everyone you graduated with.
2) You know what 4-H means.
3) You went to parties at a pasture, barn, gravel pit, or in the middle of a dirt road. On Monday you could always tell who was at the party because of the scratches on their legs from running through the woods when the party was busted. (See #6.)
4) You used to 'cruise' Main St.
5) You whispered the 'F' word and your parents knew within the hour.
6) You scheduled parties around the schedules of different police officers, because you knew which ones would bust you and which ones wouldn't.
7) You could never buy cigarettes because all the store clerks knew how old you were (and if you were old enough, they'd tell your parents anyhow). Besides, where would you get the money?
8) When you did find somebody old enough and brave enough to buy cigarettes, you still had to go out into the country and drive on back roads to smoke them.
9) You knew which section of the ditch you would find the beer your buyer dropped off.
10) It was cool to date somebody from the neighboring town.
11) The whole school went to the same party after graduation.
12) You didn't give directions by street names but rather by references. Turn by Nelson's house, go 2 blocks to Anderson 's, and it's four houses left of the track field.
13) The golf course had only 9 holes.
14) You couldn't help but date a friend's ex-boyfriend/girlfriend.
15) Your car stayed filthy because of the dirt roads, and you will never own a dark vehicle for this reason.
16) The town next to you was considered 'trashy' or 'snooty,' but was actually just like your town.
17) You referred to anyone with a house newer then 1955 as the 'rich' people.
18) The people in the 'big city' dressed funny, and then you picked up the trend 2 years later.
19) Anyone you wanted could be found at the local gas station or the “TasteeFreeze”.
20) You saw at least one friend a week driving a tractor through town or one of your friends driving a grain truck to school occasionally.
21) The gym teacher suggested you haul hay for the summer to get stronger.
22) Directions were given using THE stop light as a reference.
23) When you decided to walk somewhere for exercise, 5 people would pull over and ask if you wanted a ride.
24) Your teachers called you by your older siblings' names.
25) Your teachers remembered when they taught your parents.
26) You could charge at any local store or write checks without any ID.
27) There was no McDonalds.
28) The closest mall was over an hour away.
29) It was normal to see an old man riding through town on a riding lawn mower.
30) You've pee'd in a cornfield.
31) Most people went by a nickname.
32) You laughed reading this because you know it is true!

Happy Birthday Bob!!!

Today is my father-in-law's birthday, hope he has a great one! I can't believe that picture was taken almost a year ago! What fun we had in Disney with the band, I am still very thankful that you decided to meet us there. It is something we will all always treasure.
Happy Birthday!!

My Supermen

The kid got his license and since has made two trips to BP to get first himself a Polar Pop, then a couple hours later, his dad a Polar Pop, (yes, we have soda, go figure! at least it's only about 5 blocks). Not to mention the fact that we drove right by BP on our way home from getting his license, but we were in the van and he wanted to take the Jeep. Hopefully by Christmas, the El Camino will be fully up and running and legal, They finished fixing the exhaust and manifold, so now it "purrs", he has one highbeam, one lowbeam, and one taillight, and a busted windshield. This is all that stands in the way now. Seems pretty close.

Now they are busy at work on my van, replacing the water pump. The funny part is, they are having a ball. That's my guys.....

Little Tidbits of Information

To say a lot has happened this week would be an understatement. Anyone who doesn't realize how political my job is, doesn't know my job very well so of course, we watch the elections, down to the state senate elections with great interests (probably the main reason we are given the entire day off to vote, we can't watch any of this from work without violating grants). We had some proven friends of our cause elected back into office this week (both Democrat and Republican) along with some newcomers who have told us they believe in us. This is a good thing. Some things to watch for now is what happens at the higher levels. It has been rumored for many months that our IL HFS Deputy Director Charles Jackson might be on the list to go to Washington, this blows my mind, he sat beside me at lunch at our last LIHEAP conference, he is one of us, it's a little surreal to me (why didn't I take pictures?????). Then, this week, the list for replacement of the Senate seat came out, on the list is Cheryle Jackson, Charles' wife. Hmmm......
Watch and see, also on the list is Attoney General Lisa Madigan, who spoke at my FCD graduation, and who also, happen to sit at our table for dinner that night.

One other big thing happening in my life of having famous friends, if any of you watch Extreme Makeover Home Edititon, this weekend, the house is in St. Louis and a friend of mine Teresa Wellbaum went to help on this, she is the office manager for Head Start and works just down the hall from me. She said it was a very rewarding experience and encouraged us all, given the chance, to take it. She said she worked on the boys room, if you watch the show. I don't get an ABC station anymore, I really hate that.

Last but not least, we are leaving in a few hours to take the kid to get his license, he has been talking about this day since he was 6. I used to tell him it was a long way off, now I remember telling him that like it was yesterday, why has this went by so fast???

On a lighter note, the bloom is still on the cactus (that sounds like some kind of secret code, doesn't it??? LOL). Hopefully, it will open in a day or two.

My Crazy Cactus

Three years ago, yes, three YEARS ago, I brought this little cactus home from my grandmother-in-law's. On the way home, it got tipped over and the cactus came out of the pot. I pretty well wrote it off as dead but Grandma gave it to me so I brought it home, sat it in the windowsill in the kitchen and let it be. Every few months I would pick the cactus up to see if it had grown any roots, much to my dismay, nothing, always just this little teeny, tiny thumb sticking out of the pot.

Then.......we went on vacation in June of this year, the week of the flood actually. We had turned the air off in the house and apparently, it was "perfect" conditions for the cactus, because I came home to it being double its size. I was amazed. I took it outside and sat it in one of my geranium pots for the summer. A few weeks ago, I brought it in and stuck it in the bathroom, where it would get the most warm, moist air.

Today, I come home to find a "beak" sticking out of the cactus, it is going to bloom!!!! I can't believe it. Now I am babying it and now something will happen to the bloom, I have already warned everybody to not touch it....now watch, I will be the one to knock the bloom off.

Just thought I would share, if it makes it to actually bloom, there will be another post.

Bob, let me know if Grandma can see pictures on her cell, I will send her one!

A Perfect Day for Geocaching

Saturday was our first outing with the High School youth group. Our first night of AWANA, we had a planning meeting and one of the things they wanted to do was meet at Solid Grounds one morning, have coffee or smoothies and then go geocaching. The event had been planned since then. We had a couple who couldn't come but that is typical of our busy lives. We had one who came for coffee but didn't get to go geocaching. We

went to 6 sites and found 5 out of the 6 geocaches.

Obviously, one of them was hidden at the Mound

Cemetary. The second picture was taken out in the woods behind the Brooks cemetary. Tanner decided that one looked like the cover for an album, I agree. We had a great time. These kids are the greatest.

Can You Believe It????

She Won A Car!!! She Won a Trip!!!! I am simply over the moon that this happened for her. If someone came in to my office and said, "You have to pick one person in this building to give a new car and a vacation, who would you pick?" My first answer would have been Sharon!

What I find absolutely amazing though is that she kept it a secret. She and I went to Springfield together the first week of September, she was telling me all about her trip, her daughter and son-in-law live out there (here daughter Samara is an actress). Sharon and her daughter Simone went to visit. They got to visit the set of Days of Your Life too, and because Sharon's son-in-law has one of the actors from that show as a client, she and her family got a personal tour of that set along with seeing them rehearse. Samara was in a play that she got to see also. Sharon had told me about all of these things before she got around to telling me about the Price Is Right! Then she very calmly said, I was just getting settled when they said "Sharon Frame, come on down!" I was like, "You're kidding??" She said, "No, but I can't tell you anything more than that as to weather or not I even won anything". I couldn't imagine her really being able to keep it a secret if she won anything major, but it looks like she did.

We, of course, had a party yesterday morning while it was on, it was funny, we were all like the crowds they show on Survivor. When Sharon won, we were all just screaming!! She had went to watch with some family members yesterday morning and then came to work at noon. She had her book in hand for her car. She gets to pick the color, very neat!! She also has 18 months to take her trip. Sharon is a workaholic, there are many, many nights that she is the last one out of the building and it is well into the evening. I asked her yesterday how long it had been since she just took a vacation without going to see someone or go to a wedding or some specific function for family, she started counting and decided it had been at least 10 years.

I also took a picture of her at her desk yesterday afternoon, just to show fame hasn't changed her. I got such a kick out of her yesterday, we couldn't believe how close she came to winning the showcase, but she was telling how very happy she was it turned out the way it did because (quoting Sharon) "that boy was congratulating me during the break because I won a car, he didn't even have a car, so I was so excited he won." That is typical "Sharon".

I Almost Forgot!!!!

If any of you are at home today when the Price Is Right is on, you should watch, my friend Sharon is going to be on it! We have all waited since August to find out if she got any farther than contestants row!! Since Sharon is our Head Start director, we get to watch it at work, can't wait!!!

Happy Halloween....Anyway.......

Well I TRIED to get the girls to wear their Halloween costumes. Chrissy is such a princess that she seemed not to mind at all, I'm sure she could do without the hat but she has truly always been happy to have her sweater on in the chilly months and will even stand on her back legs to "help" get it on her. Lizzy on the other hand would prefer to be "au natural", as you can see, the little hat was on for about 3 minutes, look at the picture of her and Robert, she did that herself, very calmly reaching up, taking the hat off and holding it- I was trying to be nice to her by not making her have anything but the hat, still not a good idea!. It's really funny, they are mother and daughter and couldn't be more different!