Rock Pit...Today was an overcast mid 80's day so I started the project that I meant to start last month. THE ROCK PIT! What??!?! You may ask. Underneath the kid's playfort in the back yard is a big week farm. I determined at the beginning of the summer to turn it into something they could use and enjoy. I was not hip on sand after living at the beach. I did not want more sand in the house. Well, I say in a magazine or somewhere the use of small pebbles instead of sand. Eureka! They could play with all their sand toys but not have the sand mess. A momma's dream! So, today I completed the weeding, laid down the weed barrier, put down 1 layer of river rock, and 1 layer of pebbles. It is a sight to behold. I would like to put 2-3 more bags of pebble in just so they have lots of room for digging. However, they got started today and spent a good hour just hanging out in the shade of the play fort digging/moving rocks around with sand toys, dump trucks, whatever. And of course, the piece de resistance (sorry, no inflection on my keyboard) was when they could just hose each others legs off at the end and it turned into a water gun fight! Go summer! Isn't that what it is all about?!?

20th High School Reunion...The kids and I made it back to OKC for my 20th high school reunion this last weekend. How is that possible?!?! I still feel like I am fresh out of college. Of course, according to all the older people in my world, their minds stay in their 20's and 30's so they are just shocked to look in the mirror. I am beginning to understand what they are staying. We had a great weekend! Unfortunately, John had to work but he did get a wonderful opportunity to go out and visit the vineyard of his flight surgeon before he headed out to work. He has been invited several times so I am glad he finally got to go tour the vineyard. Cool. Anyway, back to the reunion...(see...I even digress in writing...ha) Got to OKC Friday afternoon and got to stay with my sister, Rebecca, and family again. The wonderful treat was that her mother, Darian, (my Godmother) was in town visiting. I had not had the opportunity to see her in many years. So, we got to catch up a little. Friday night was the casual/social night of the reunion as Cafe Nova in OKC. It was hot as woo-ie but got to catch up with many old friends especially Kendra and Kara. Nice. 20 years is definitely better than 10 years because we aren't busy trying to impress each other any more. Of course, I was reminded several times during the reunion of my spiked "Pat Benatar" hair. Apparently it was a hit and all I was trying to be was different. Guess I succeeded since that is what people remember. I also managed to squeeze in a visit with my sister, Teresa, and brother, Doug, which I loved. I took the kids out to my friend Tracy's farm in Piedmont. They are renovating a 1950's farmhouse but I promise it is the most idyllic spot I have seen in a long time complete with beautiful trees, a fishing pond, pumpkin patch, garden, porches all around the house, a horse, a donkey, 2 sheep, and a dog. Really great! Her son, Cole, took Jacob and Julia out fishing at the pond. Before we knew it, Julia came running up the hill with a fish in hand screaming, "I caught a fish! I caught a fish!" Imagine her pleasure at catching her first fish about the size of a grown up's hand. After a quick celebration, the fish was taken out of the house and back to the pond. What a day! And for that matter...what a weekend!

More Cowgirl Museum Pics...These pictures are part of the interactive play area. Since the Ft. Worth Natural Science and History Museum is being renovated, some areas have been combined. This part of the play area is on Gullah islands off the southeastern coast of the U.S. They think the term Gullah came from Gola (Angola) since this people spoke english and west african.

Cowgirl Museum...Today I took my kids along with Sydney and Halle to the Cowgirl Museum at the Ft. Worth Natural Science and History Museum. They had a big time. They learned all about real life and movie star cowgirls. They also learned about planting and building stuff in the interactive portion of the museum. Here are a few pictures of all the kids. Tomorrow I'll download the video clips of them riding a pretend bull (mine will not be posted to prevent blackmail material from getting into the wrong hands...ha!). So cute! I highly recommend this museum for anyone with young/elementary school children.

Patrick's Birthday Party...A couple of weeks ago we went to our sweet friend, Patrick's, 6th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. However, my cell phone battery cratered so I am just now up and running with pictures again. If you can't tell my the picture, Patrick LOVES Batman! So cute!

Thank Heavens for Saturdays...Today is Saturday and boy...am I glad! It has been a week of catch up and getting back into our summer routine. I kept the neighbor girls on Wednesday and Friday. Got a chance to see the movie "Horton Hears a Who"...so cute! And the kids started swim lessons on Tuesday. They will have them 4 mornings a week for 2 weeks. And then Wednesday evening I zumba'd my tookas off at the YMCA and then John and I took the kids swimming at that pool. All this activity was followed by a yummy plate of spaghetti.

I continue to be busy searching the web and school website for work starting this fall. I have applied for several positions but so far nothing has come my way. Please keep my job search in your prayers and hope that I will find something that works really well for my family.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Ashley's Funeral...My brother's fiancee, Ashley, was buried yesterday. It was a very sad day but also touched with laughter, retelling of old memories, and wonderment at all the people's lives she touched. So many people will keep a small part of her life close to them either in a memory or tangible item. Even my sweet Julia will have the flower girl dress she would have worn for Doug and Ashley's wedding to remember the wonderful girl who touched so many. I probably won't give it to her today or tomorrow, even, but one day she will have it to look back on to remind her how precious and short life really is. Live each day with no regrets and celebrate everything and everyone you love. Because I know I was reminded through all the pictures of her during the slide show, especially the ones of Doug proposing to her in the woods in Colorado, and as I watched the very last white balloon float off into the sky at the end of her funeral. Goodbye Ashley.