Memorial day

Why we do what we do on Memorial Day.



We decorate gravestones on Friday or Saturday before Memorial Day.
We attend a Memorial service at the cemetery where my family is buried. (This year they read the Gettysburg Address which I thought was very appropriate and a wonderful addition to the tradition)
We tell stories and remember our loved ones who have gone on before us.
We respect the ones who have passed by celebrating with our loved ones.
We get together and cook out.
We have homemade ice cream.
We remember those that have given us the freedom to do just that.

Driver's Education

School is officially out here in Blackwell. However, I got my daughter up this morning for her first day of driver's ed!  I knew it was coming, I was even the one who signed her up! But knowing it will happen and the reality that is HAS happened are 2 completely different things.  I am torn between not believing she is old enough to really be there and excited to see how she does.  This is just the next step of her wonderful adventure.  LEAD ON ADVENTURER!!!  I will be here if you need me. 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

This is what I think of when I think of being a mother. The many faces of Samantha! She can range from sweet to goofy to beautiful all within a matter of seconds! I love being with her and talking with her about her life and school and "boys"! She is growing up so fast that I find myself fighting the inevitable time when she will actually leave the house with a boy and I cannot dictate what she does or where she goes. I can guide and set limits, but it is up to her to follow them or not. I pray that we have instilled a good sense of "self" and a good sense of right and wrong. She has been put upon a Godly path and I pray that she sticks to it even though it is not always the easiest path to take. I pray that when she leaves our home even for a couple hours at a time, she uses her senses and knowledge (God given) to the best of her abilities. I pray that she can find fun and joy in any situation. Thank you Samantha for letting me mother you! Happy Mother's day to me!

One more!!!

Here is another that I did with a tutorial from AliEdwards.com  Cute!!!

Check it out!!!

Yep, it's my first digital scrapbook page ever!!! Of course I did it while taking an online tutorial at Jessicasprague.com, but the point is, it looks cool and I did it! This would be a ton of work though if I had to place every flower and every ribbon etc. Having the files and finding them would be horrendous. I think my scrapbook room is bad, my computer is no place to hide all these things. No, I am all for editing pics, but I am going to leave the scrapbook pages to hands on glue and paper. But isn't this adorable! Love it!

Random

This is what happens when you have a windy afternoon, a camera, and a creative daughter with time on her hands. 

Resurrection day AKA Easter 2011

This year Easter snuck up on me.  Even though it was later than usual, it just snuck right up and bit me!  This month was filled with field trips, music trip to Chicago, funerals and extra work hours at my job.  So, it was Friday afternoon before Samantha and I went shopping for her an Easter dress.  I was a little worried that we would not be able to find anything that she would like.  However, everything turned out well.  We went to church and then to Julie and Jason's for lunch with the family. Here are the results...

Hope everyone had a great Easter.  We are blessed!