Completely Random Thoughts

**I love my super-dark jeans. But every time I wear them my fingertips end up blue from touching them. And they're NOT new jeans!

**I could end every single night with a non-fat decaf vanilla latte and be happy. Heavier, maybe, but happy.

**Swimming wears kids out. Sis has a friend spending the night tonight, and she (the friend) is already asleep. They came straight from a swimming party.

**I love VBS for the kids. I love it more when I'm not working it. Sounds terrible, but it's true.

**I miss my hubby when he travels.

**I really think I could live in some sort of commune with my parents and siblings. Not sure THEY could, but I could.

**I have efficiently and effectively killed all but one of my potted plants this year.

**I have my follow-up lasik surgery in 2 days. I'm starting to get a little nervous.

**It makes me laugh every time I hear what they call the follow-up lasik surgery: an enhancement. Because I'm 12.

**School starts for the kids in 2 weeks. I'm not ready. I feel like we've not had enough of a summer yet. I feel this way every year.

**I have a difficult time when I'm not in control of something. My heart knows that things happen in God's perfect timing, but my head does NOT like to give up control and would like to know the specifics of said timing.

Random, eh?? What kind of random thoughts cross your mind?

20 year nostalgia

So, funny story... I was 17 when my parents went to my dad's 20th high school reunion. I remember when my dad came home, he was talking about a classmate of his that reminded him of me. She was a redhead living in New York, trying to make it as a stage actress. No lie... my only thought was: She's too OLD to try to make it as an actress!!!!

Now, I would like to go back an slap my 17-year-old bratty self!

So I said all that to say that while I'm NOT old, Don and I DID have our 20 year class reunion last weekend. Did I mention that we're NOT OLD????? But BOY, does that sound old! :)

So, once I had my deodorant on, I was ready to go and feeling FINE! What a fun time it was!!!

Here are some shots from the night...


Here is my all-time favorite fellow graduate... I don't often think about the fact that we graduated together, since we didn't date back then... but it IS really nice at events like this, that we don't have to entertain each other because we both know EVERYONE!


Some great high school friends...

And some more... George, on the left, and I used to have lunch together ALMOST everyday, along with Aimee (in the above picture) and Chad (who couldn't come)... fun memories of lots and lots of T*co Bell!!

One of my longest friendships... Jeffrey's dad and my dad worked together, so I knew him YEARS before I even moved to the same town as him! I realize we look really sad to see each other, but we were secretly very happy! ha.

Out of a class of about 250, about 70 or so classmates showed up. This is a shot of all of us there. I'm in the 2nd row, almost on the very right... can you see me?

This is my driver's ed group. We have so many fun stories from then (mostly about being scared of Chandra's driving! hee). The absolutely funniest, though, was when Chandra was driving, our teacher had his window open. Pete and I were in the back seat, when Chandra passed a trash truck. Right then, an apple core flew out of the truck, through the teachers window, and hit me right in the throat!!! I can't stop laughing even now thinking about it!

Another big group of high school friends...

Another good high school friend, Robin. Through the power of FB and blogs, we've reconnected in the past year, and it's been great! I'm proud to say I've gotten her as addicted to some of my favorite blogs as I am! :) (Hi, Robin!)

Another childhood friend... her mom used to pick me up for school every day in middle school (although we called it Junior High school back then... saying THAT makes me sound old!).

And my absolutely OLDEST (not age... you know what I mean!) friend that I am still friends with... my Ginger (another picture of her here)! We actually both started in a different school district, and were in the same 1st grade class. Then we both moved schools and ended up graduating together as well... we go back actually even BEFORE birth! Our grandmothers were good friends in Southern Missouri, too! And now we go to the same church, and our kids are friends, too. I love longlasting friendships like this!

So, I've been nostalgic this last week, remembering stories from times past. But let's remember: Nostalgic + 20 years = I'M STILL YOUNG, no matter how it sounds!

Love post

So, if I were on the ball, I would post a picture of the BEAUTIFUL vase of roses Don gave me this week. So pretty! And even better (more fun), he scattered the roses all over our 1st floor so I had to go on a hunt for them. Sis found the first one, so he told her THAT rose was for her! She even made me get a bud vase just for hers... she didn't want it with mine!

I love grand gestures of love like that. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy. And probably even more so because I know that Don doesn't naturally love me through gifts. But he knows I love them... so he does it. I feel loved.

But you know what I appreciate just as much?

Those everyday gestures of love.

Last weekend was our 20th class reunion. No, I'm not going to talk about how old that made me feel... or that I was a tiny bit nervous that I would revert back to my "old" shy self... I'll post pictures and talk more about the reunion another time. But what I WILL mention is that I bought a new dress, shoes and jewelry for the event. What a surprise, right?

Well, we were on our way when I realized I forgot to put on deodorant... YUK! So I mentioned in passing to Don on the way there that I felt great except for that small fact. So, 4 conversations later, Don mentioned that he was starving already and didn't know if he could wait until dinner to eat something. Then he stopped at a gas station and went in while I waited in the car. I honestly thought he was buying a protein bar. Guess what he came out with instead? DEODORANT!

He wanted to make sure my night was perfect!

Now THAT is love I can appreciate! But I love the roses, too!

Race Day!

So, for those of you who knew Don had been training for a big mountain bike race, the day finally arrived. On the 4th of July. On vacation. Which is really how we chose our vacation location this year...

So, the race started the town's annual 4th of July parade. Here's a shot of a lot of the bikers before they began (although not Don specifically, because we spent the whole time beforehand trying to find each other. It was a bit of a comedy of errors, except there was no comedy or anything funny involved... I was really pretty devastated when I couldn't find him beforehand, but it turned out fine.... WHEW! I feel better getting all of that out in the open!).

The cool part of the race for the kids watching AND for the bikers is that the racers gave the kids high fives as they began the race. Really cute.

So after the start, we stayed for a while for the rest of the parade (pics maybe coming tomorrow), then went back to the condo to rest for a bit. THEN we went back to the finish line/1st lap point to watch for Don to arrive (this is at the 25-mile point... this was no sissy mountain bike race! ha). THEN WE SAW HIM!

It was pouring rain at this point (you can see Sis's wet hair to the left of the above pic), but he stayed focused on the race. But he WAS glad to see us (made up for the earlier debacle!). So, I snapped shots as he rode through the 25-mile mark all the way to the aid station (where they stop to get drinks, etc).

We then hopped in the car and followed the street portion of the race and caught up with him on the road.

We then drove on ahead to a rest area (for us, not him) to wait for him to complete a few more miles (you should have heard us yelling for him as he rounded the corner!).

I am so proud of my racer! He worked so hard training AND racing! Good show, babe!

Have I mentioned the view? um, and that I'm afraid of heights?

Let's Say...

Let's say there are 10 people staying in one condo.

Let's say that the condo is PLENTY big enough for 10 people to vacation there comfortably.

Let's say that the condo complex has 2 indoor/outdoor pools, and even more indoor/outdoor hot tubs (see?)

Let's say, though, that the day in Paradise turns cloudy and even rains.

Let's say that the kids, then, can't go swimming because of said rain.

Let's even say that one of the oldest children was terrified of the rain/clouds/thunder.

Let's say that all of a sudden, the condo seems to get smaller with all the restless children.

Let's say that the moms happened to see a sheet of paper with all kinds of stuff for children to do in town.

Let's say that the very first thing on the list was a local children's museum that offered all kinds of hands-on stuff for kids to do.

Let's say the moms make record time in loading the kids up.

Let's say that once the moms/kids arrive, they discover it's not really a museum so much, but it's a DEFINITE hands-on kind of place.

Let's say that there are all kinds of stations.

Let's say that there was an art station that had glue, feathers, beads, markers, tape, colored paper, white paper, etc. that children could spend up to an hour at.

Let's say that there was a station with artificial snow to scoop up, put through funnels, load on little tractors.

Let's say there was a skeleton by the anatomy station that kind of freaked the kids out when one particular mom would make it wave to them.

Let's say that there was a VERY popular medical station that had a hospital bed, all kinds of children-sized crutches and canes, stethoscopes, and braces/casts that the kids could play pretend with.

Let's say that by this time, the sun was out, the rain had stopped, and not one kid even noticed.

Let's say the piece de resistance (did you know I was French? Or is that Spanish?) was the "lab."

Let's say with just a little water, a few colored tablets, some beakers, some pipettes, some measuring spoons and cups, some safety goggles, and a lot of test tubes, LOTS of experiments can be done.
Let's say the kids played in there so long that the moms had a chance to go over to a little sofa and visit (and be jealous of some other moms who thought to bring their own coffee!).

Let's say the rainy day was saved.

Let's say the kids begged to go back.

Let's say a good time was had by all.

I'd say!!!

Swimming in paradise

So, we're on our way back from our lovely vacation... (boo) And while we were in Colorado, one of the kids' favorite activities was swimming. They would swim any time, any where. Such as:

The bathtub! The HUGE jet tub provided lots of swimming opportunities when we weren't able to make it to one of the pools... Doesn't Bub look stressed out?

Even though it was quite chilly outside, the pool was heated to 90 degrees everyday. So awesome!

Even so, sometimes it was cool enough to go to the hot tub instead. This particular hot tub had a waterfall coming into it, which was quite fascinating to the kids.

But as nice as the pools/bathtubs/hot tubs were, it was the fabulous VIEW from the hot tub and pools that made the trip so spectacular. Here's a view we had from the pool:

It was truly swimming in paradise!