Blessings

I can hardly believe its 2011 much less the second month of 2011. Time flys!!! As I sit here at the computer I think back to 2010 and the many blessings God gave me. Here are my top ten:
1. My friend Mary Ann who the doctors said back in October had only days to live is ALIVE!!! She is doing alot better and I know in my heart she is going to recover completely.
2. Jan. 7th 2010- grandchild #6 was born
3. August 3rd 2010- grandchild #7 was born
4. We have become more connected with our church and have grown spiritually
5. I have lost weight!!! Yea me! (still a long way to go)
6. Had an exciting trip to Cozumel, Mexico
7. God is working out a new business venture in our lives
8. My blood pressure is better controlled
9. We purchased a new car (GMC Terrain)
10. Have done alot of home improvement projects we weren't able to do before

The Boys Of Fall

I was driving home from work listening to country music on the radio as I always do and Kenny Chesney's song "The Boys of Fall" came on. That song immediately took me back to small town Friday Night Football right here in good ole' Nixon! I can still feel the excitement in the air and all day the intensity grew stronger. I remember sitting in class wearing one of the players jersey's, the battle cry in the hall between classes, the smell of the gym floor and the sound of the band warming up for the pep-rally. The student body went wild as the sound of the Fight Song filled the gymnasium and our "Boys Of Fall" came in to the gym donning their game day jersey with a look of pride, determination, even butterflies in their stomach.....the whole town buzzed about the prediction of the score and then proceeded to relive their own glory moments out on the field. Cars were decorated with shoe polish, signs made of poster board were in store windows......Bobcat fever was ALIVE!!! The site of our fiday night heros standing with helmet in hand, facing the flag as our National Anthem rang out over the crowd and people cheering "Go Get'em Bobcats" as the players then took the field. I can still hear helmets hitting together, see the ball flying in the air, the scoreboard. I can still remember what it felt like to experience the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. Small town friday night hasn't changed much over the years, I have experienced it through the eyes of my sons as they prepared for their own game days. They are my true "Boys of Fall". Go to Kenny Chesney Lyrics and read the lyrics to the song.....I promise it will take you back too!

Reflections

Today I have realized I have not blogged in soooo long. But today I find myself wanting to. One of my very best friends in the whole wide world taught me to blog and as we speak she is fighting to live. She was diagnosed with cancer almost 3 yrs. ago and has continued to have a positive outlook throughout it all. She has fought so courageously and has never once complained "Why Me?" She has been an amazing friend and has taught me have to live life to the fullest and seize every moment. Mary Ann never worries about things and though I am still a work in progress, she has been teaching me to not worry and let God handle the big stuff! She has renewed my love for reading and we can spend hours discussing books and if it ever becomes a movie , who should be in it, etc. We could solve the worlds problems over a cup of coffee and laugh about things until we cried. She could make you feel better about any problem you THOUGHT you had and after discussing it with her you would come to realize it wasn't really a problem after all. She taught me that life is a journey and its up to each of us to find Joy in our journey, the journey called life. LOVE YOU GIRLFRIEND!!!!!

Reagan Lindsay turns 9

I can not believe Miss Reagan turned 9 years old last week. She celebrated her 9th birthday on September 25th. We celebrated with a birthday party at Mr. Gatti's Pizza in Seguin. She had a good turn out and everyone enjoyed pizza, games and of course birthday cake. She had the "High School Musical" theme. Reagan got lots of nice gifts and money. She is a saver too. She is saving for a PSP. Reagan has grown up so fast. She is in 3 rd grade now. She takes gymnastics and will start going to meets soon. She is in the Smiley 4-H club and she is going to be raising rabbits as her project. She loves math in school and loves to read books about animals. She participated in Mustang mini-cheerleader camp again this year and can't wait to be a real cheerleader. She and I really enjoy spending time together.....she is Granna's buddy! Oh and even though I think she is waaaaay to young...she has a boyfriend, Lane Newman who is also in 3rd grade. Of course how do you really date in 3rd grade????

To Be Young Again

I'm back!!! Wow it has been a busy month. Why when your young does time seem to tick by....I can't wait until Christmas, can't wait for a new bike, I can't wait to start High School, to get my drivers license, go on a first date, graduate, go to college, get married, have a baby....and then WHOA....its already Christmas and it seems summer was just barely over, the weeks end to quick, clothes get tighter (not by choice), your boobs start to sag (again not by choice), you find wrinkles in places you never thought possible, you settle for reality tv instead of a night on the town, your idea of a good time is a nap and last but not least, intimacy used to be hours, then minutes and now you can do what you have to do during commercials and never miss your show!!!! Hummm??? Things I remember about being young...writing in Big Chief tablets, keeping your colors in a cigar box, fountain sodas at the drug store, at recess you played jump rope, hop scotch or played make believe. Cokes at the football game were a quarter, you picked teams doing ienney meanny miney moe, birthday parties were only cake and punch at your house and guests played red rover in the yard, you used a real type writer, you had to get up to change channels on the television....memories. Well better go..its a commercial!!!

Haylie Ann

This is a picture of my darling granddaughter, Miss Haylie Ann Hansen. She is 4 years old and cute as a peach!! She is the daughter of my son, Kyle. She has a very vivid imagination. She reminds me alot of myself as a kid. She is taking tap and ballet lessons and next month they will be having a dance recital. She loves to be around other kids. This picture I have posted is when she attended mini-cheerleader camp. She loved it!! Both of her parents are kinda shy and reserved but not her! She is very sociable. Look out kindergarten....she will turn 5 on July 9th so she will start school this next coming school year. Boy does time fly. She is definitely a girly girl, loves the color pink, likes to play dress up and loves barbie dolls. Her favorite movie is "Flicka" and she likes to pretend she is "Katie" the main character in the movie. She loves clothes and she really loves shoes. The only thing she doesn't like that most girly girls do is talk on the phone. Hey, at least she won't run up high cell phone bills when she's older!

Making Plans

Well summer will be here before you know it. John and I are trying to come up with ideas to go somewhere and we seem to always go to the beach. So with the beach out of the question....we are contemplating a trip to Arkansas to Murfreesboro to stay in an authentic teepee, they have paddle boats etc. and tour the diamond mind and hunt for arrowheads. Kind of roughing it!! Going to or coming from that destination, stopping in Dallas and going to Six Flags. Hey its something different! Still undecided but we think it might be fun and not break the bank. Of course after going to Disney World with the kids it seems like anything we do could never compare to that trip. This is one of the pics we took in September while we are at Disney World. I LOVE THAT PLACE!