WE ARE BACK!!!

We are back from Branson and our wonderful vacation there!! We went for a week to Stormy Point Village with our friends from Tampa. We celebrated each and every day. Every morning when I got up I found another birthday card on the table from our great friends! We did one show a day and enjoyed all of them.

Here are pictures of Stormy Point Village, our cottage, and one taken on my birthday of me, and my best friend Lyanne Hamm. I don't feel so bad anymore about turning 60 because we celebrated every day, and I was so blessed and lucky to have these great friends and my husband to celebrate with.

The shows we saw were: Sons of the Pioneers Dinner Show, Roy Rogers Show and Museum, Broadway, The Hughes Brothers, Yakov Smirnoff, The Branson Belle Dinner Show & Cruise. We really did like them all-----we always go to see the Hughes Bros. every time we go to Branson. We like to see how many more kids they have. Ha-ha. I highly reccommend it!!

I recieved a lot of cards and good wishes; presents and gift cards (so blessed!). And from my husband I received two things I really wanted. A diamond ring and......dessert servers from Pampered Chef! Seriously.....I've been looking and looking for these small dessert servers not realizing that they were from P.C. Dean found out, and ordered them for me through Sherri's resources!! He's a keeper!!!

I'm still in the mellow glow of being on vacation and eating out every day, and having fun, fun fun!! I really missed Sherri and the kiddos though. It was good to see them when we got home. We all went out to eat at the Italian Grill to have a little celebration on Sunday. Sherri made the most amazing GREAT carrot cake (her friend Ann's recipe). Actually, she and Ann made it for me on my 50th birthday in Florida and I loved it then too.

Besides going to shows, we played a lot of Mexican Train (domino game) and watched some really good movies. Well that's about it. Now back to work, and washing clothes, cleaning, and you know the routine!!!

Card-craft is Thurs night, and I can't wait for that!!! :-)

PICTURES---I CAN DO IT! (Katie/Braces---Jamie w/ Dylan & Noah)

I'M EXCITED----ONLY TWO MORE DAYS UNTIL.....

VACATION!! Yes! Our friends Lyanne & Grady are flying into Tulsa Saturday, and we are leaving for Branson for a whole week of vacation on Sunday. Going to shows, playing games, watching movies, and reading & visiting and eating out! I can't wait. We are celebrating our on-going friendship....and my birthday. Thank you all for the good wishes. I sooooo appreciate it. More than you know!

I've been cleaning house the past few days. My son finally picked up his dog Tyson that I've had for past 3 1/2 mo. I really love the dog and got quite attached to him-----but NO I do not want one. He was really special and really well-behaved and trained. But now he's gone, and I've vacuumed and cleaned ALL the floors in the whole house to get rid of dog hair and dog slobber!! And of course I am having company at least overnight.

Jamie & Trixy and kids are currently in OK City for a short time, and then on to their new Army base----Ft. Bragg, N. Carolina. They are SO excited and SO gung-ho! All they talk about is the military. Jamie was in the A.F. and it was quite funny to hear them compare their "shooting scores" with a guns, and compare how physically fit they are. The best thing so far to come out of this whole thing is they both quit smoking!!!! And both now work out. Healthy at last. I've been praying for years for Jamie to quit smoking. Thank You God.! Trixy is a diesel mechanic (she's really tiny folks---only 115 lbs!). Jamie is talking about getting a job as Gate Guard as he used to be a military cop as well as a civilian cop. I'm excited for both of them because they are now so excited about their new chapter in life, and adventures to come.

Well, I don't know about all of you----but as a former Michigander----I'm so enjoying this cool rainy fall weather. I LOVE it! When we come back from vacation I will be ready to get out all of my fall stuff (I have tons) and decorate. I'm big on fall foliage and ORANGE & RED!

Book Club was great as always on Monday night. So happy friend Sylvia could come. Hope Suzanne can come next time!! It's always great to read new books and discuss with a bunch of really intelligent ladies! Well, I'll be writing when I come back. See Ya........

THE SHACK

THE SHACK is a a great book. If you want to know what it's about read Sherr's Blog. She said it much better than I could have.

I'm reading the pick for our Library Book Club THE HEMINGWAY BOOKCLUB OF KOSOVO, or maybe it's called The Ernest Hemingway Bookclub of Kosovo. Anyway, it's about a woman's experience teaching English as a 2nd language in Prishtina, while her husband (a lawyer) works with with others to set up a fair legal system for this area. They both take a year off with no salary to come to this country and this experience. She writes email and keeps a journal while she is there and that is basically the book. It's an amazing read because it explains so much about the people and the horrible legacy of blood feuds-----and yet in all other respects they are a decent loving people. If you really want to understand why the people in The Balkans----the "old" Yugoslavia are the way they are in regards war and genocide etc., read this book.

Labor Day is over----I will be 60 on the 20th (GASP!) I've said it often enough this year (that I was turning 60) it should no longer be a shock or a stab in the gut. But there it is. One of my grandmom's and Dean's mother only lived to be 61 and 62. We are blessed to be living in this day and age. I am blessed to be here and turning 60.

After reading the Shack I look at my relationship to others differently. I really REALLY do feel blessed to have the friends and family that I do, which includes everyone who is reading this I know. I'm so glad you have YOU in my life. I am blessed. Thank You God.

WE ARE BACK FROM MICHIGAN

Today is my son's (JOHN) 40th Birthday------gasp---I can't be old enough to have a son that old(!) and my granddaughter's 12th birthday (KATIE KARP). A happy day......

We got back home yesterday from Michigan. We could drive it in 2 looooong days but we break it up into 3 days, usually one 8-hr. day and 2 six hour days. Now that Dean is retired we are able----for the first time---to take our time. Yesterday we stopped in Lebenon MS at an outlet store for Denby China, and had a ball looking at stuff and even buying some things. If you like "spode" that's the place to get bargains! Bought some lace curtains and some cutlery at great bargain prices!! FUN!

We had a great time. The weather though, was COLD. It hailed twice while we were there, and we had to wear a jacket about 1/2 of the time. We forgot how cool Michigan is in August. I was able to see almost all of my first cousins on my mom's side of the family. They have all aged----luckily I haven't. It was just so fantastic to see everyone, and especially some of my female 1st cousins that I'm very close with. Some of us went out for a 3 hour lunch the day after the reunion and remeniced and talked and laughed and even cryed some.

The smells and sights of Northern Michigan are like balm to the heart. It's home. It's where home used to be. Lake Huron was beautiful. Both Dean and I grew up on this beautiful gigantic lake. Lots and lots of spruce and evergreen trees. Across the lake (you can't see it) is Canada. I really miss it. But this is home now....

As I'm writing this, Bekah called to tell me all about Katie's b'day party, and I need to get all the stuff together I'm taking over there for Katie's (real) birthday today. Also I got some pickled balogna for Sherri. We all love it, and you can't buy it around here----it's a northern thing folks---don't turn your noses up at it. Ha-ha.

Oh----the other thing that was great about "up north" is that practically everyone plays "spitzer" ---- a card game that we dearly love. We played several times, and I've decided I HAVE to teach the kids so that we have partners here we can play with. By kids, I mean Noah (age 9---an excellent card player) and Katie, who enjoys wholeheartedly playing games.

Also we've decided to go next year and spend 2 weeks to a month up there, and take Sherri and Brian and kids with us for at least part of the time. It's time to keep in touch with life-long relatives and friends before they are gone.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, time to put it into "hooey-hooey" (as my mother would say) and get stuff done. First things first----I have to make a card for card-swap this week FUN!!

MEME

I know you're dying to know......NOT!!

What was I doing 10 YEARS AGO?
Living in Florida and enjoying my pool and my little girly-girls---Bekah 3, and Katie 1. We all had season passes to Disney! I did not know how close I (we all were) was getting to a big move in my life!!

FAVORITE SNACKS?
Sweet things & dark chocolate. I love cookies, and almond M&M's.

TO DO LIST:
Clean out all closets
Paint Master bedroom, hallway, kitchen & livingroom.
Organize all stamping stuff into the back spare bedroom.
Find some new kitchen chairs that I REALLY like that are comfortable
EXERCISE

What I'd rather do:
Read-----knit-----stamp & make cards-----spend time with family and friends-----go to the movies----do craft projects------shop

Jobs I've Had:
dishwasher
sales clerk
Jewelry Sales Clerk
Adoption Secretary
Legal Secretary
Insurance Secretary

Places I've Lived:
Michigan
Alabama
Indiana
Whitia Falls, Texas
Bossier City, Louisiana
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Spring Hill, Florida
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Little Kansas, Oklahoma

Bad Habits:
Not exercising enough
Not working hard enough around the house
Bossiness
Staying up too late-----then sleeping in too late
I know there's more.......just can't think of them right now.
Dean says I don't come into the room to talk to him---and then he can't hear me!

Random things people may not know about me:
Like my daughter (& grandfather, father & grandson) I play the accordian-----but I DON'T do it in public and rarely do it ever.
I can yodel (I do enjoy this)
I love to sing-------and really enjoy music a LOT!
I'm basically shy------at least I think I am.

CD's I'd take on a stranded Island:
I love Calypso & Hawaiian Music & it'd be SO appropriate!
Johnny Mathis
Oldies (50's/60's) Music
Classical
Barbara Striesand
Bing CROSBY
Glenn Miller
Chris LaDieux
and more......

What would I do if I become a billionaire?
Pay off ALL my bills
and all my kids bills
Buy them all houses
College Educations for all grandkids
Money for our best friends Grady & Lyanne
Charitys & Church
Certain Lucky friends would be blessed also!
VACATIONS TIME----Disney World here we come!

I'M LEAVING........ON A JET PLANE

Not really and I'll be back again. (song) sorry.....I do that all the time. Everything reminds me of music. We are driving....to Michigan next week for a vacation and to see relatives and attend a family reunion---Yacks/Ellsworth Reunion---my mom's side. There will be many of my 1st cousins who are near me in age and whom I grew up with there. My mom had 5 sisters and 1 brother so there are a lot of 1st cousins. It's amazing somewhat in today's age. My kids only had 5 1st cousins on one side and 8 on the other. Very small.

So we are getting ready, and doing chores......the usual. I actually "thought" about coloring my hair to look younger. But then I thought---oh, what to heck! I AM going to be 60 next month after all. sigh. So I didn't. Anyways dying my hair wouldn't hide all those extra pounds I'm packing....

I'll really miss Sherri and the kids though. That's the one thing I hate about being gone so long. It's nice now that Dean is retired that we don't HAVE to be in a hurry to get back, but then I miss those Karpo's so much.

Anyway, I won't be blogging til we get back----so hope everyone is enjoying summer. I was......until it got sooooooo HOT! Here's hoping we have a cool fall!!!