TUESDAY MORNING

Kathy sent me some new pictures of her new home, isn't her landscaping and flowers beautiful. She definately has my mom's green thumb! She lives in Houston, Texas and has to work hard to keep everything lush and green. She said that "Dolly" went south of them, but did cause them some showers helping to keep the yard green.

This week is Maggie's volleyball conditioning, she has to be there every morning at 7:30. I picked and canned green beans all day yesterday. Hope to get some things sorted and boxed today. Kathy has been passing along "declutter" tips to help me get motivated. Thanks Kathy!

Energy and persistence conquer all things.
Benjamin Franklin
(p.s. Diet Coke helps too!)

WEEKEND WRAP UP- Call It Grace

It is Sunday afternoon and we have enjoyed a nice weekend. I am starting each morning reading an inspirational daily devotional from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment. Todays message was great and I wanted to share it.

Being made right with God by his grace, we could have the hope of receiving the life that never ends. Titus 3:7

You may be decent. You may pay taxes and kiss your kids and sleep with a clean conscience. But apart from Christ you aren't holy. So how can you go to heaven?
Only believe. Accept the work already done, the work of Jesus on the cross. Accept the goodness of Jesus Christ. Abandon your own decency and accept his. Stand before God in his name, not yours.
It's that easy? There was nothing easy about it at all. The cross was heavy, the blood was real, and the price was extravagant. It would have bankrupted you or me, so he paid it for us. Call it simple. Call it a gift. But don't call it easy.
Call it what it is. Call it grace.


Our sermon at church was on Grace, and so was my Sunday school class lesson. Often times, the church lesson will be exactly what I am needing to hear. We had a great visit at Moms, and at Jeff's house today. We heard from Jordan and they are on the beach, staying at a three story beach house, and enjoying every minute of it. I can't wait to see the pictures. Yesterday we spent the day at Maggie's volleyball tourney. They had a great day, and Maggie sure enjoyed it... it is going to be a fun season.

Hope that everybody is rested and ready for another week!

FUN FHOTO FRIDAY -

Yesterday Brooklyn and Addison came to play! Maggie had volleyball practice last night, and Tony and I met with the builder to discuss options for the new house. They will start digging our basement in a couple of weeks. It is hard to believe that we could be in the new house by Thanksgiving! We have been canning green beans this week, and I have a lot more to pick today. This afternoon Noah and Erin are coming over to visit, they will be leaving for a beach vacation and we will be missing them for a week! Tomorrow Maggie has an all day Volleyball tourney... Maggie is so excited about the season starting. It will be fun to take the day to watch them play. Hope that everyone has a great Friday Nighty planned!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Photos of Maggie, Aunaka, and Simeon Visiting!

WEEKEND WRAP UP

SEE ME DRIVE MY PAPAW'S BIG TRACTOR!










Noah came over to play with Maggie and I on Friday morning. He is so much fun, I can't believe how much he has grown. He will celebrate his first birthday on August 6! Saturday evening Maggie went with Ashley, Emily and Kimi to celebrate Emily's 17th birthday! Tony and I went over to the French Lick Winery for a quiet evening out. This morning was church and visiting at moms, it was such a nice day. Tony had to work at the hospital, so Maggie and I spent the entire day at moms playing rummy and swimming. Connie had a picture album of wedding plans for Cassie's wedding. The dresses they have ordered are gorgeous. We can't wait, it will be next June in Florida. We are so excited for you Cass! Hope that everyone has a great week.

FRIDAY MORNING -

What a week! Maggie survived camp..... and is glad to be home. Tony and I recovered the greenhouse, and prepared for appraisal and inspections. The house passed everything with flying colors. The next step will be having the survey completed, it has been started and is half way finished. Our closing is set for second week of August and then we will start the new house. We are so fortunate that the new owners are allowing us to rent while our house is being built!

Maggie and I are looking forward to getting Noah today... he is such a joy. This is the first weekend in a long time that isn't all planned out, kind of hoping that it will stay that way.

Hope that everyone has a great "Friday Nighty".

SATURDAY MORNING

Tony and I took advantage of Maggie being off to camp and spent Thursday night at a neat little bed and breakfast on the Ohio River. We were celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary which is coming up this week! It was such a nice, much needed, relaxing time, and all Tony's idea. We stayed at The historic Grand Rose Hotel Bed and Breakfast located in Elizabethtown, Illinois. It over looks the Ohio River,and is owned by the State of Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. We spent Thursday exploring off the Ohio River National Scenic Byway, miles of through-the-woods, up and down country back roads, stopping for quick hikes to see Garden of the Gods, Camel Rock, and Tower Rock. Tower rock put us on top of a bluff 60 feet above the river, with an awesome river view. Our B&B was beautiful and had a wonderful view, I love being on the water. Across from our room was the E-Town floating river restaurant, the fish alone was worth the drive to Elizabethtown. It was a great trip, and a place that we plan to go back and visit again.

This morning Tony is working at Patoka Lake. I will be picking Maggie up from individual camp and repacking her and delivering her to team camp... also at IU. I talked to her last night, she has had a good time and is looking forward to the team camp. It will be great to get to see her for a couple of hours, I miss her company when she is away!

It is hard to believe how fast the summer is flying by, only a few weeks before school registration. Hope that everyone enjoys what is left of the summer!

A VACATION IS HAVING NOTHING TO DO AND ALL DAY TO DO IT IN.
- ROBERT ORBEN

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

THIS IS SO TRUE.... MAGGIE!

TUESDAY MORNING

It is Tuesday morning and I am trying to get back on track with the getting everything cleaned up and boxed up for the big move. Our closing is scheduled in 4 weeks, school starts in 5 weeks. Maggie will leave Wednesday for 7 days of Volleyball camp at IU. She is really looking forward to it, Volleyball is her favorite thing to do. I am going to try to take advantage of her being gone (this means I won't be making several trips a day to Montgomery) and get a lot of things sorted and boxed. After 20 years, and 3 kids we have accumulated lots of STUFF! The thought of being in the new house by Thanksgiving is really motivating me to dig in. Erin starts back to school at Oakland City end of August (sorry Erin I know you don't want to think about that yet) and I will get my little buddy back, and boy have I missed him! This also motivates me to get everything ready now, so that I can just enjoy spending time with Noah. He is such a little joy.... hard to believe he will soon be ONE!

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;
an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
-Sir Winston Churchill

WEEKEND WRAP UP

It was so nice to have Kathy and Clark home for a week. Although the week went by too fast, we had some good visiting time. We really enjoy their company and sure wish that they lived closer. They will get to come home again at Christmas, and we will be looking forward to that. We should be moved into our new home by then! Here are some pictures of the weekend. Saturday's trip to take Kathy and Clark to the St. Louis Airport, Maggie enjoying St. Clair Square on the way home Saturday evening. Sunday we were home in time to help celebrate Myrissa's 15th Birthday.




























HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY MYRISSA!

FUN FHOTO FRIDAY - 4th of July

We are all enjoying the "Catfish" celebration. Last night Courtney sang on stage, she did a great job! Brooklyn decided to help her sing one too! She was so funny. The rest of the pictures are of the big parade this morning. It has been drizzling through last nights events and the parade this morning. Brooklyn rode on a float with her Grandpa Danny. She looked like such a big girl!


Town was packed with people, and the ballgames are still going strong. Hopefully the rain will stay away for the fireworks tonight!



Have a Happy 4th!

THOUGHTS FOR THURSDAY......

Yesterday we enjoyed a fun cousin day at Mim's pool. It was a great day to just relax and soak up some sun. The little ones had a great time just playing at mim's. Mim reported that cousin Nicole was doing great at her AAU Nationals! Connie made us a wonderful supper in her beautiful new kitchen! THANKS CONNIE!

HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY MYRISSA!

HAPPY 15 BIRTHDAY MYRISSA! HOPE THAT YOU ARE HAVING FUN ON YOUR TRIP! WE WILL HAVE TO CELEBRATE WHEN YOU GET HOME!

HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY CHRIS!

Words for Wednesday

Last night we picked Kathy and Clark up and went to the Mexican restaurant at French Lick. We had a nice visit, and enjoyed looking around at what is new. We went back to Moms for a visit. Today we are having a fun day at the pool. This has been Maggie's first and only week of the summer to be completely off (no sports or drivers training). We are really enjoying it! Hard to believe that school will be starting back up in about 5 weeks!

Tomorrow will start the 4th of July celebrations! I think that Gretchen and Andrea plan to visit for the Queen crowning and Courtney's karaoke. Cassie, we are really going to miss you!

HAVE A HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!