Vacation pictures - part 2

A few more vacation pictures then I'm finished... promise!!!

Zia's in THE HILL area of St. Louis... AMAZING Italian food... Carly had her very first REAL ravioli... seafood stuffed... amazing..... We actually went there at a Women of Faith Conference and loved it so we tracked it down on this trip!!!!

Michael ACTUALLY touched a rabbit... this is HUGE for him... we were at Purina Farms...

He was determined to ride on the Lion at Grant's Farm... he did NOT want to go up and down, and the lion was the only stationary one on the ride...

The Frozen Custard shop has been on Route 66 since 1929.... it was pretty good!

At the zoo we did another ride, and again... the giraffe did not move.... Carly is texting pictures... and I am riding the " Somalian Wild Ass"... yes... that is really what it was called....

LOVE this picture of the lioness... isn't she beautiful????

Yes... my children are strange.... but you have to admit, they are cute. Wonder how many other children have stood in front of this picture doing the same thing???

Nice vacation... but ALWAYS glad to be home!

Vacation ... the beginning

Just a few pictures from our trip... more tomorrow.... sorry... but indulge me a little ;) !!

The arch... amazing....

We actually rode to the top... this is the small area we rode up in.. only room for 5!

Carly was excited.... she got a signal at the top!!!

The whole family at the top...

The view was amazing....

Everything looked so tiny!!!!

And yes... Carly was STILL getting a signal... texting Rebecca... Erica... Chandra... Rachel... and Clinton... think it took her mind off of just how far up she was!!!!

Had some WONDERFUL BBQ at a place called Pappy's Smokehouse... appropriate if you know that Mickey is called Pappy by the grands!!! This was a little hole-in-the-wall kind of place, but it has been featured on the Food Network... it was VERY tasty!!!! Best ribs I've ever had!!!

Then we spent some time at the City Museum as well... it was a great place and Michael finally got into the action...

He even got up next to the Frisch's Big Boy... which is amazing in itself if you know our boy....

Have more pictures to download and edit... then I'll get them up as well....

The next step....

Have you ever just had one of those times in your life when you wondered... just what IS the next step? That is kind of where I'm at right now... and it isn't easy knowing where to set my foot down.

There are just so many different types of steps one can take in their life....

A step forward... heading in a new direction...

A step back... going to a place you've been before...

A step to the side... allowing others to take your place... or maybe just walk beside you

A step down... leaving a part of your life that you've clung to for a long time

Sometimes determining the direction we take is hard... sometimes it is easy... and sometimes the decision is taken out of our hands...

So that is where I'm at right now... standing still... listening... trying to determine which direction makes the most sense....

How about you??? Have you ever been in one of those positions??? Wondering which step is the right step???? One thing is for certain... I never have to take a step alone... I know that Christ is right there beside me... and for the decision to be right, I just have to keep my eyes on him!!!

Emily's Birthday and another cake down

Happy Birthday Miss Emily!!!! It was such a joy to get to spend this afternoon with our good friends Joe and Erica as they celebrated Emily's !!!

I spent the day yesterday creating her cake... it was so much fun to do for her... and in the picture above, she is wearing the tutu and out fit that our daughter Chandra made for her... a true princess outfit. The cake is my fourt foray into the world of fondant... I'm getting better... it is just gonna take some practice! With all of these kiddos to bake for, I'm sure I will get plenty!

There were serveral family members and friends who came to help celebrate.... and the tables were decorated withe the pictures that they had taken by a photographer for the Littlest Hero project... (I think I have that name right!)

Thanks Joe and Erica for sharing your little one with our family... we love you... and we love her!!! We are so blessed to count you in our family... and Happy, Happy Birthda Princess Emily!

To sing....

On Saturday, while being out and about all day long with the open house, I guess my allergies got the best of me. By the time graduation was over, my voice would have rivaled Barry White's... well actually... Barry Smith's!!! You see, our music minister's name is Barry, and he has a pretty deep voice. I LOVE to sing with Barry... I enjoy harmonizing with him because his voice IS so deep. While I sing alto, it is a pretty low alto.

I knew by Saturday night that singing was just NOT going to be an option for me on Sunday morning. And I was truly disappointed. I sing back-up vocals around 4 months out of the year... and since it only happens once a quarter, I really look forward to my time singing. Not only that, but I get to sing with my best sister-friend Rebecca, which is just too much fun.

I have to tell you how hard it was to NOT sing during service. I had already taught my SS class, so my voice was already rough. And I REALLY wanted to sing the harmony on the songs that were being sung that morning. Some of them I really ENJOY the harmony parts so much... but I tried very hard to NOT sing. I didn't want to make a bad problem worse.

As I stood there, doing my best MillieVanilli impression, I realized just how much the praise song portion of the service can enhance your whole experience. I wonder how people can just stand there and NOT sing praises to their Lord and Savior. And trust me... people DON'T sing on Sunday mornings... I've seen it first hand. It always seems so funny to me to be standing up in front of a congregation looking out and seeing just how many people don't move a muscle during the singing. No muscle, no lips... not even a blink of an eye. It is like they are only ENDURING that portion of the service. (And believe it or not.. we SEE you not enjoying it!!!) After Sunday I can't help but think that they are SO missing out on something that is wonderful! They are missing out on a opportunity to be JOYFUL in the pressence of their SAVIOR!!!!

So from now on, if I see you standing there NOT singing, I may just run up and ask you to sing with me... I got to feel what you are missing... now I want YOU to see what I've found!!!

.... and we are DONE!!!!

Carly has finally graduated!!!! YIPPEE!!!! What a wonderful day we had.

We started out the day by hosting an open house for family and friends. Around 45 people came throughout the day... and we had such a good time with them all. Thanks so much to each of you who came to help us celebrate Carly's accomplishment! Her cake turned out nice... and was pretty tasty too!


Carly and a few of her friends blessed us with a little surprise....



It was a lot of fun.... not just the dancing but the reactions of those who where watching!

We are so proud of this young lady... she has grown up to be pretty darned amazing... and we can't wait to see where the Lord takes her in her journey. Happy Graduation Carly!!!!

One Down......

That's right.... one graduation down, one to go. Michael celebrated his graduation from kindergarten yesterday at Eastern. He is pictured here with is principal, Mrs. Essary, on the left and his teacher, Mrs. Sanders, on the right. He did a great job.

Below is my great-nephew Chase (and yes, I am THAT old!) who also graduated. He is the one on the left in his button-down shirt and tie. Told his mom that he looked like a "real man" going to a "real job". How cute is that?

This year, Michael's class was blessed with a cadet teacher, Miss Brianna. Oddly enough, I coached Brianna for years as Carly played T-ball, then softball. Her dad acted as my assistant coach for a good number of those years, and I could always count on her mom, Pam, to do whatever was needed. Brianna will graduate with Carly this Saturday.

Michael's graduation marks the beginning of Summer Vacation for him, and he is already looking forward to vacation in a couple of weeks. And he is already talking about our homeschooling next fall. Hope he is still excited about it when the time comes!!!

Now... baking cakes for Carly's graduation open house scheduled for Saturday. Can't wait to celebrate her accomplishment with family and friends. Praying for a nice, cool and NON-rainy day... but well be satisfied with the weather that God sends our way! But if you come, remember to tell Michael congratulations as well, he is pretty excited about graduating just like Carly!!!