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  • Hello...
    Ya know, I did write a note before I left on vacation - but for some
    reason it never posted.  So, sorry -- I was in Nevada for 12
    days.  My parents computer is a dinosaur and blows up when I try
    to access Xanga, so I was unable to look at it up there.  Didn't
    notice till I got home that my "Happy Easter -- See you soon" message
    was not posted!  Hope you all had a most wonderful time
    celebrating our most glorious Lord and Savior!!!

    We had a wonderful time.

    We had all sorts of weather.  It was
    very sunny on our drive up here. Last Friday and Saturday were partly
    sunny as well, but very chilly outside! Sunday gave way to rain which
    quickly turned into snow. It didn't stick until that night, but it did
    come down as snow for most of the whole day. The kids got a kick out of
    that as I don't think they'd ever been somewhere when it was snowing.
    By Monday midday the snow which stuck over night was all melted, but
    trying to get Steve to the airport     (he had
    to fly home because he needed to work)     that
    morning proved tricky because of black ice on the road
    -- a normally 20 minute drive turned into an hour  He made it to
    his plane 10 minutes before take off!!!  Wednesday it was 76.
    We headed for Mt Rose which was about 45 minutes from my parents for
    the kids to have time playing in the snow. It was probably in the
    50's up there, but standing in the sun I was able to take my jacket off
    and be comfortable with just my tank top. Thursday night my brother
    flew in. The girls all love Uncle Ken - so that was a big treat!!!     
    Friday the rain came back and we got thunder and lightening storms that
    day and
    night. Steve flew back up Saturday night and we headed home 8am Sunday
    morning.  We made pretty good time and had no bad weather although
    it was overcast and gloomy most of the day till we reached Orange
    County.

    Nice to get away -- but nice to be home too!

    Here are some pictures from our trip:



    Here we are with Nonno Dee and Grandma Easter evening.


    Steve and I at Easter Dinner.

    Here are some pictures of us as the snow started to fall:

    The girls trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues!


    Here Gracie is in the backyard again the next morning after the snow stuck!


    The girls up at Mt. Rose Ski Resort.


    The girls playing around - There's Uncle Ken joining in.


    My mom, me and Ellie and Val.


    This next picture is at a rest area by Donner Pass Summit.   The snow in
    the bottom of the picture is about 16 feet high and there were a lot of
    people that had climbed up to play in it.  Julie took it one step
    further -- we look up and she's up on the roof!!!!






    Well that about all to my update.  Hope you are all well and I'll be coming around soon to say hi!

    ~Di

  • So...
    I've been working on some stuff for our homeschool yearbook.  Our
    homeschool group went to a field trip to Ripley's Believe It or Not
    Museum.  We thought it would be fun for the different families to
    submit some "believe it or not" pictures of their own.  We just
    had a field trip to the zoo last month, so I decided to make mine with
    different zoo animals and submit them with the pictures I took from the
    zoo. 

    I have Valerie with a chimp, Julie with some Tigers, Elizabeth and an elephant and Gracie kissing a lion cub.












    I must say -- too fun doing this!!!
    Have a good week.
    ~Di


  • HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY

    JULIE!!!!

    We love you!!!!
    ~mom and dad

    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


    I am a very wealthy woman!!!



    First, I have everlasting
    life, John 3:16

    Second, I have a mansion in heaven, John 14:2

    Third, I
    have peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7

    Fourth, I have joy
    unspeakable, 1 Peter 1:8

    Fifth, I have divine love which never fails,
    1Corinthians 13:8

    Sixth, I am a faithful wife, Proverbs 31:10

    Seventh, I
    have healthy, happy obedient children, Exodus 20:12

    Eighth, I have true,
    loyal friends, Proverbs 18:24

    Ninth, I have songs in the night, Psalms
    42:8

    Tenth, I have a crown of life, James 1:12





    Yes... very wealthly, indeed!!!

    Love to you all!
    ~Di

  • I think everyone needs a friend like "fuzzydi" to kick them in the pants every so often to update!!!! 

    Thanks, Di!

    I just hate sounding like a broken record, but I've been
    soooooooooooooooo busy.  I think, though, such is life in this
    season of time for me.  Life ramped up mid-August and just hasn't
    slowed down.  And, something's gotta give... unfortunatelly -- usually, it's
    xanga!  BUT... Thanks for all you true xangites that have been
    posting and checking up on me!! I appreciate your thoughts.  I've been making my way around, but
    haven't had the time to stop and comment...

    The
    shingles plague seems to have left me -- well, at least for now. 
    Lots of stuff going on here, running through my head -- things with
    Steve's parents, things with medical care and costs, things, things
    things.... I am praying, but really trying not to think of them -- what
    it all means in the grand scope of things and the directions things will
    go -- God is in control - which is REALLY good because it feels real
    out of control right now!!

    Oh and -- Yeah! Kevin is gone!!! (for all my idol friends!)

    Love to you all!!!
    ~Di




  • Hello!



    Hope all of you are well.  I am feeling much better! Yeah! 
    Shingles are almost gone.  I am behind on a lot, though, because I
    didn't get much done last week when I was feeling bad.



    I am reading in the Gospel of John this month. It is so encouraging to
    read about the life of Jesus and His ministry here on
    earth!!   The teaching at our church has been so
    wonderful.  I am blessed to have such a gifted pastor who lays the
    Scriptures out before us each week.  It's good to live in the
    Word!  So my question to each of you this week is: what is one of
    your favorite Scriptures and why?  Anyone who knows me has heard
    me share mine.  It is 2 Peter 1:3

    "seeing that His divine
    power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,
    through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and
    excellence."


    What I love most about this scripture is the words "has granted". 
    It's a past tense thing.  He has giving me EVERYTHING I need for
    life and godliness.  That is so all encompassing - patience, joy,
    love, grace, mercy etc etc etc.  I was recently sharing that with
    someone that I always tell my children to pray for what they need
    spiritually, but not to wait for it.  The reason being this
    scripture - that if they are a child of God, He has given it to them
    already.  It's in the very moment of obedience (for example,
    stepping out in patience or self-control when they want to yell at
    their sister) that the whole grace of God is there for them at that
    moment they obey.



    I look forward to being encouraged by what one of your favorite scriptures is.



    ------------------------------

    Not much has been happening, cept the usual cleaning, cooking, laundry
    -- so I don't have much to write.  Elizabeth did go to a formal
    the other night.  Here is a picture of her on her way out the door.

    ~Di




  • Hello!



    Thanks,
    all, for the birthday wishes for Valerie and for checking in on
    me.  I am doing ok.  I got shingles again yesterday so
    physically I'm not doing well, but mentally and spiritually, I am
    great.



    Busy
    week, as always, and it doesn't slow down today! I already made my run
    to Sam's Club this morning, I have two orthodotic appointments one at
    11:30 and one at 3:15, I have to get my car in for breaks this
    afternoon after the appointments, I have to get my older kids to their
    cousins house in between the ortho appointments as they are taking Val
    out for her birthday, and somewhere in between all of that I have to
    get a birthday gift for a party my littles are going to tomorrow. 




    We
    watch a movie yesterday about a mongolian camel herder and his family
    -- I was remarking to Val how simple everything was in their
    life.  I thank God for all the blessings I have, but that simple
    life and little posessions looks aweful appealing --  I'm always
    thinking of ways we can get rid of stuff.  I think I need to try
    harder!



    Elizabeth
    is going to a formal tomorrow night.  We borrowed a formal dress
    from her cousin and yesterday bought some shoes and a scarf and a
    necklace to go with it.



    Also,
    tomorrow is my 16th wedding anniversary!  I probably won't see my
    husband but for 5 minutes tomorrow as he's been at a pastor's
    conference all this week that he needs to leave very early for and
    doesn't get home until like 10pm.  Oh well.



    I
    leave you with a couple of pictures from out last Girls Night Out --
    the one where we have the yummy chocolate fondue - Since it was
    Febraury we all dressed in red or pink!











    ~me



  • Happy 13th Birthday, Valerie!!!



    We love you!

    ~mom & dad


  • Hello! 

    Only two more days til Valerie turns 13.  Here are the last three years of her pre-teens!


    Valerie, age 10, with Dad
    getting baptized in our pool


    Valerie, age 11
    Sparks, NV


    Valerie, age 12

    We are so looking forward to Friday and to celebrate this wonderful day with her!
    ~me

  • Hello all.

    This week has been fun. 

    Once again we have enjoyed American Idol and are glad that some of our
    picks got in the final 24.  I particularly like Hicks - I just
    love the tone of his singing voice.

    I went bowling with the kids yesterday.  It was our Valentine's Day treat (one day late).  It was a lot of fun. 

    Last night was our Mother/Daughter night.  Fun fellowship and
    GOOOOOOOD food -- my friend brought a fondue pot of chocolate with
    different yummies to dip into it.  Very good -- very
    indulgent!  We talked about how God was encouraging each of
    us.  We also played Catch Phrase.

    **
    EDIT
    I was reading Oswald Chambers today and it particularly
    ministered to me.  I have been dealing with an issue that seems so
    insurmountable that it's almost depressing to even think about. 
    And in that state, I just find it so hard to even move.  I thought
    I would pass it a long as an
    encouragement to you all as well in case you are struggling with "get
    up and get going" in a particular area of your life.

    Arise from the dead...
     -Ephesians 5:14



    Not
    all initiative, the willingness to take the first step, is inspired by
    God. Someone may say to you, "Get up and get going! Take your
    reluctance by the throat and throw it overboard— just do what needs to
    be done!" That is what we mean by ordinary human initiative. But when
    the Spirit of God comes to us and says, in effect, "Get up and get
    going," suddenly we find that the initiative is inspired.

    We
    all have many dreams and aspirations when we are young, but sooner or
    later we realize we have no power to accomplish them. We cannot do the
    things we long to do, so our tendency is to think of our dreams and
    aspirations as dead. But God comes and says to us, "Arise from the dead
    . . . ." When God sends His inspiration, it comes to us with such
    miraculous power that we are able to "arise from the dead" and do the
    impossible. The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that the
    life and power comes after we "get up and get going." God does not give
    us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome.
    When the inspiration of God comes, and He says, "Arise from the dead .
    . . ," we have to get ourselves up; God will not lift us up. Our Lord
    said to the man with the withered hand, "Stretch out your hand". As soon as the man did so, his hand was healed. But he had to
    take the initiative. If we will take the initiative to overcome, we
    will find that we have the inspiration of God, because He immediately
    gives us the power of life.

    **End Edit

    Well... 9 more days til Valerie's 13!  Here is the second to last of the update pictures covering ages 7 - 9:


    Valerie age 7 at Easter


    Valerie age 8 at the Science Museum.  They were having a special exhibit on "magic" -- this one was particularly neat!


    Valerie age 9 at Christmas.
    (Elizabeth 11, Gracie 5, and Julie 7)

    Love to you all.
    ~me

  • Hi ho.

    Here we are at the close of another week!  My brain has been on
    freeze this week -- I have been forgetting all kinds of things. 
    One would think that when your brain gets to the overload stage, it
    would process things FIFO. But unfortunately for me it seems to
    process things LAST in First out, so all those little details that I
    review when I get up that I need to do, somehow just drift off into
    neverland as my day draws on (I must not be sleeping well to be
    forgetting so much).  Lists.  I need to make more
    lists.  But lists are only as good as where they are located -
    because if they aren't right where you are, it doesn't do any
    good.  So perhaps the solution is to make some type of lanyard
    that has attached to it a pad and a pen.  Then I could just wear
    it around my neck and not forget anything.  Aw... yes, random
    thoughts for a random day.

    x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x


    Last night I was make a webpage for our church concerning this retreat
    place that we found.  I had attached pictures and then placed
    little comments under each.  This place has a cozy little chapel
    -- and I meant to write that it was a great place for prayer time or
    quiet meditation... but instead I wrote "quiet medication"...
    hahahah... hmmmm, makes you think about what I was thinking that I'd
    type that instead of meditation - ha!  I got some funny comments
    back from the ladies about that one, as you can imagine!

    x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x


    Here are some more pictures of Valerie growing...



    Valerie age 4
    (Julie 2, Elizabeth 6 and Gracie 2 days old)
    I love this picture -- That was Gracie's blanket from her crib set and
    I taped it to our closet mirror and put the kids by the door on the
    floor and took the picture with the natural light coming though.



    Valerie age 5, Christmas ballet/tap recital




    Valerie age 6, Easter

    (Julie 4, Gracie 1 1/2 and Elizabeth 7 1/2)
    Valerie got that crown for her 6th birthday and wore it everywhere we went for a year!

    Well, that's all for now!
    ~me