AWWWWWWW!

This is my wonderful daughter and her equally wonderful boyfriend. Don't they make a cute couple? Ashley has been very sick for the past few days (fever, sore throat, tired, achy, etc.) she stayed in bed for, I think about three days. she did go to the Dr. but it was a virus. Micah took very good care of her, making her soup, and telling her she needs to eat! LOL - thank you Micah!

Ashley and Micah finally have jobs! After a very long, disappointing, and grueling search. They both got jobs at Ponderosa. They have orientation today.

Glen had to work again this Sat. but before his last run (delivering equip.) he called me and asked if I wanted to go and then get something to eat in Watkins glen. So I went along for the ride. The drilling site was real nice, out in the country, surrounded by trees. I told glen "This would be a nice place to build a house." We ate at 8:00 and got home real late. Hahahaha, I just realized how funny that sentence sounds.

Sunday afternoon we went to a winery in Covert called Americana Winery. It is in an old barn, real pretty. I had been wanting to go there. We bought a few bottles and some fudge! Then we went to a hard cider place, that was fun too but I really do not like it as much as wine. We have so many wineries here, I told glen "We should go to one or two a week! It will give us something to do together."
Going to them is so interesting, they are all so very different. There is so much history in them and the architecture is so different. Even if you are not a wine person it is still fun to go.

I finished reading "The Rest of Her Life" it was very sad. An 18 yr old girl hits and kills another girl in a crosswalk. The 18 yr old feels terrible! She doesn't eat, doesn't change her clothes for weeks, won't talk, and says she need to be punished for what she has done. Even though she was careless, it was an accident, and you really feel for her. Now I am reading a book called "Nude Men" the first half was hysterically funny! I would laugh so hard out loud that I would have to put the book down. but now it is getting kinda gross. I will let you know!

I knit myself the most adorable hat! I will take a picture and post it next time. I am also making myself a pair of gloves to match. they are my favorite color - purple!

I based my new poll around a memory I had. When I was living in Savannah GA for a while, my mom came down to visit. We went to the local grocery store. she bought some stuff and wanted to write a check. she asked me "What is the name of this place - Piggy wiggy?" I laughed so hard. Of course the real name is Piggly Wiggly, which come to think of it isn't really any less funny.

For my new song this week, I decided to stay with the Christian theme for another week. This one is from a really great man named Kirk Franklin. He grabs your attention in this song, fun and funky! Now admit it you were boppin your head weren't you? You can't help it, he gets to you! Alot of his songs are slow songs though. He is also a preacher. He is great to listen to.

My top 5 countries I do not want to go to. What are yours?
1. Iran
2. Iraq
3. Afghanistan
4. India
5. Saudi Arabia

How many Child Care Workers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

One of my biggest "pet peeves" is when you take out a new light bulb, right out of the box, you screw it in and it doesn't work! My biggest ALTRA annoying "pet peeve" is when you take yet a second light bulb out of a brand new box and IT doesn't work either! Tell me - what are the chances of this happening? AND! it wasn't just a table lamp that needed the bulb either! It was a ceiling light that I needed a step ladder for because we have such WONDERFUL high ceilings! I was a little annoyed.

On a more positive note... I turned on CMT last week and saw a video of a group called "Point of Grace"! This may not be so amazing to you if you don't know Point of Grace.
They happen to be a Christian Adult Contemporary group, and they just happen to be one of my favorite Christian groups, I have about 3 of their CDs! Wow, that really threw me for a loop! CMT playing Christian music! So I put one of their songs on my blog for this weeks new song. Let me know what you think of them, I love their sound together, they have great voices.

On Saturday I went out to lunch with a couple of women that I used to work with. We had a great time. We stayed at our table for 2 1/2 hrs just talking! They both quit working at the school last year too, and both of them work for the NY state park system.

Saturday night Glen and I got together with two of our best friends for dinner. We love getting together with them! They are fun to be with and we just really enjoy their friendship. Someday they will be moving to Texas (they own a place down there) and it will be a really sad day for us!
I LOVE Texas! and can't wait to be visiting them, but I will miss them so much. Uh Oh, now I did it... tears in my eyes!

Sunday Glen and I went to Geneva to "Tractor Supply" shopping, love that store! They have all kinds of cool stuff! Clothes, toys, books, and all kinds of farm stuff. Then we went to "Tim Horton's" for coffee and danishes. Personally I think they have the absolute best cappuccino! If you have never had it you should try it. Hmmmm... speaking of, Mom in TN, Shelley in MI, Shelly in NC, and Paula and Casey in CT - Do they have Tim Horton's there? If not, I feel your pain!

I commented on all your comments so be sure to go back and read them!

This weeks Top 5 -
Favorite books that you HAD to read in high school. I know this is going to be stretching our memories a bit, some more than others, LOL (Mom). but give it a try.

1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, I loved this book and still do!
2. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Very sad book, I would love to re-read this someday.
3. To Kill a Mockingbird - by Harper Lee, A true classic!
4. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green, wow I love all these books!
5. Diary of Anne Frank by (duh!) Anne Frank, Great book! also sad.

Lets see if you can remember some!

Happy 20th Birthday Ashley!

Big news!!!!! I now have a 20 year old! I find this very exciting (not the feeling older part) I am no longer the mother of a teenager! Hurray! The teenage years are over! Ashley and her "BOYFRIEND!!!!" came over on Sat. we all had pizza, my in-laws came over and we had homemade cheesecake with either blueberries or cherries on top (Ashley's favorite). We all had a great day, and Micah, Ashley's BOYFRIEND!!!! is a real great guy, we were glad to have them both.

Sunday night we got a real bad windstorm. 50 to 60 mile per hour winds! Our electric was out for a few hours. There were down branches and trees all over town. Glen and I only got about 3 hrs. of sleep that night, and come to find out everyone else I know didn't sleep that night either. During the big gusts I actually felt the bed shake. It was scary, like a mini Hurricane. I was in a hurricane once when I lived in Savannah. I have yet to see an actual tornado though. People who know me know that is one of my dreams - to go on a tornado chase! I know you probably think it is crazy but I really want to do it! I just find extreme weather very fascinating! I love thunder and lightening, snowstorms, wind storms, anything different. It is just exciting! Of course I don't like that people get hurt, it is just an adrenalin rush for me.

On Tues I took my kids out and we did yard work! They loved it! They picked up all the branches from the back yard. I had two of the older boys doing the wheelbarrow and the others picking up small branches and dragging the big ones. I was so proud of them.
I have also decided to have a reading time every day for about 15 min. I thought this would kill them but they are enjoying it. I think the fact that everyone is doing it makes it better.
This Fri. is our first half day. I will pick the kids up from school at 12:00, drop our stuff off at the house, Then walk to the library. We will all get library cards! One of my 4th graders has talked of nothing else all week, he is so excited about getting his own library card. Then we will come home and watch a movie. I hope to go to the library at least once a month maybe twice.

I have to adjust my top 5 TV shows since "Men in Trees" is canceled! Boo Hoo! and Kyle XY is not coming back till 2009. So the revised list is -

1. Prison Break
2. ER
3. Lost
4. Reality shows (Amaz. Race, Survivor, Dancing with the stars)
5. Football

The new song this week is "Boondocks" by Little Big Town. they are one of my favorite country groups and that is my favorite song!

New top 5 - Top 5 things you have never done but always wanted to do. What are yours?

1. Be in Nome during the Iditarod!
2. Go on a Tornado chase
3. Hang gliding
4. Skydiving (don't know if I could actually follow through with this one!)
5. Win the lottery

New poll - simple yes or no question - Would you break the law to help a friend or family?

Just another busy week

I don't understand how some people's lives can be so hectic, one disaster after another, while other people's lives can be so ho hum day after day. I hardly ever have anything exciting happen unless I make it happen (like going on vacation) while for poor Ashley the excitement never seems to stop!
Why do you think that is? Why do some people attract chaos and others deflect it?

My daycare is fully under way, and going very well. I have 6 full time and two very part time. All the kids are so happy, the parents are happy and I am happy, what more could you ask for? One of my forth graders told me he wants to name it "Club Wendy", LOL, I thought this was so funny. We are a very relaxed group, they are all very well behaved and easy going. One of the teachers stopped me in the hall and complemented me - "You have a real nice line of kids walking to and from school." another teacher looked at my kids and said to me -"What did you do hand pick all the best kids?" I said "Yes I did!" All the teachers have been very supportive of me, congratulating me and wishing me luck, they all think it is great that I am doing this. That is saying alot after working at the school for 13 years! I told my parents if it continues like this all year I feel I could do this for quite a while.

I told you in my last post that during my vacation my digital camera "bit the dust" I have tried to get it working, it is really dead. Last night I ordered a new one off of Amazon. This is what I am getting - Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom, it is a med. priced camera, still a "point and shoot" but a much better camera. My other one we bought when they first came out, I think is was a 4.5mp, nothing fancy.
I will take some good pictures and post them. Oh no, It means getting used to a whole new program too! I hope Cannon has a good computer program.

Ashley's 20th birthday is Mon. Wow - I have a 20 year old! She is coming home Sat. and bringing her... her... her... Micah. Maybe someday soon I will be able to call him her, something.

Still knitting up a storm! Still reading when I can. Finished "The Scandalous Summer of Sissy Lablanc" the ending was real good! Now I am reading "The Rest of Her Life" by Laura Moriarty. I am on page 67 and it is good already. It is about a woman who's daughter hits another girl in a crosswalk while driving and kills her. It is about the aftermath. Will she be arrested, what will happen, etc. it was so sad I was crying.

This weeks Top 5 is -
Top 5 TV shows you are looking forward to coming back on this season!

1. Prison Break!
2. ER (Final Season, so sad! I have watched it from day one, about 12 years or so)
3. Kyle XY - I know, I know, tease me, its ok I am hooked.
4. Men in Trees (at least I hope it will be back!)
5. Football! Go Steelers!

PA Vacation

Glen and I went to Pa for Labor Day weekend. We stayed in a Motel just north of Reading. The first thing we did after checking in was head for Cabela's, which was 15 min. from our room. We spent 4 hrs. there. My goal was to buy a bow and arrows etc. for target shooting. There was a great guy helping me. He found a bow that was just right for me, a nice wooden one. He took me into the back room where they had targets set up and let me shoot it a few times, to get a feel for it. I actually hit the targets! With some practice, I think I could be good.

The next morning we went to Hawk Mountain. http://www.hawkmountain.org/.
This was really cool! Back in the early 1900's people used to come here to shoot hawks by the hundreds. They thought they were pests and needed to be killed. A woman from NY, Rosalie Edge, Founded this as the World's first refuge for birds of prey. She stopped the shooting of the migrating hawks. You hike up a trail (not too hard, some rock climbing) and at the top you can just sit and watch for eagles, hawks and all kinds of birds of prey. We saw 4 Bald Eagles in flight!
We also saw a show about raptors. This man held on to a Red Tailed Hawk, then a Great Horned Owl. We got to see them from about 3 feet away. He told us all about them. He was very knowledgeable.
Then we went to a Train Station in Kempton, called Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern, Inc.http://www.kemptontrain.com/ . Where we rode on a train with a steam engine. Right after this ride my digital camera "Bit the dust"!Later that evening we ate dinner at a Cracker Barrel. then went back to Cabela's! LOL it is our favorite store.We decided that On Mon. before we went home we would try to find one of the coal mines that you can tour. So we went to the "Pioneer Tunnel" http://www.pioneertunnel.com/home.shtml in Ashland You got to ride in real mine carts, they take you down into the actual mine. It is about 50 degrees in the mine (chilly). Once you are in there you get out of the carts and get a guided tour. The guide turned off the light and you couldn't see your hand in front of your face! Pretty eerie! Then we rode another steam train and they told us about the towns around there and the coal mining operation. There is a town just north of there, Centralia http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia.htm, that has a coal mine under the city that is on fire! The fire started in 1962, and still burns today! The only way to put out the fire is to dig up the mine and manually put it out. To do this the government has paid off all the residents, bought their houses and gave then relocating fees. Everyone is gone except 12 people, who won't leave

Glen and I drove up there and it is so weird, there are roads and curbs but no houses, just weeds! Everything has been leveled! It is as if aliens just sucked up the houses.
Everything was very interesting, I love history anyway, and this was like a fun PA history lesson.
I highly recommend that you click on the links to visit the websites, they are all very interesting. We had a great trip, great weather. The only thing that went wrong was my camera breaking. But I had been wanting to get a better camera anyway, so now I will.