24/7

Last night Bekah auditioned for a new show. We don't know what the show is, or what it will be about, or what character she auditioned for. See, she auditioned for 24/7. This is a theater production that in only 24 hours, auditions are held, scripts are written, and performances are given. She auditioned at 8 o'clock last night, the writer's wrote 7 short shows last night, and Bekah got the call at about 9 this morning telling her that she was cast. Now she is in for a day of 11 hours of rehearsal, and the shows will be performed tonight at 8. We are so excited for her. Way to go Bekah!

Say Goodbye to Middle School!

Today we celebrated Bekah's 8th grade graduation. The LMS Gym was packed with proud parents and grandparents, and although it was long (and hot) it was a nice ceremony. Bekah was chosen to sing the National Anthem at the ceremony, and did a nice job with the other 2 girls in the trio that performed. She also received an award for Drama and a plaque for serving as the Vice President of Choir. After the ceremony, we went to lunch and celebrated some more. Here are a few pictures from our special day.

Bekah wasn't too thrilled about posing for one more picture on the campus of Ladue Middle School. She was ready to say good-bye and move on.

We were thankful that Jimmy was present to share our day with us.

So, now we have one daughter in college and one daughter in high school. When did we get so old?

After the ceremony, we asked the girls what they were going to do now that they both were done with school for the academic year. Both gave the same answer...

SLEEP!

Congratulations Bekah-boo... we love you so much and are so proud of you!

Look out LHS... Here she comes!

More Graduation Pictures

What a wonderful day it has been! Jennifer is done with high school, and we had a great day of activities to enjoy. Jennifer has the camera with the rest of the graduation pictures on it, but here are few from dinner tonight!

Jenn and Boo are great friends, and a lot like sisters.... in so many ways.

Jason and Jen

We were honored that Jimmy and Amber (and "baby T") were able to join us tonight. They are wonderful friends and have been a great influence in Jenn's life over the past few years.


We asked some random guy to take a picture of our entire dinner party. (L-R) Mom, Me, Drew, Amber, Jennifer, Jimmy, Bekah, Jacki, Jason and Mike.

We had a great dinner... and a great time to be together with family!

Graduation 2

Jennifer is done with HIGH SCHOOL! HOORAY!

Now, it is time to head out for our dinner reservation!

More to come...

Thanks to Jimmy for the picture!

HAPPY GRADUATION

... it is Sunday... it is 4 p.m. and we are headed out the door to Ladue High School graduation...
HOORAY!

Stay tuned for pictures and a report of the big evening!

CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER... WE LOVE YOU AND ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU.

Saturday

Lots of great things to report....

Happy Anniversary to Jason and me! HOORAY for us!

The CFS Golf Tournament was a great success- WAY TO GO MIKE, ROBIN, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF!

Jennifer graduates tomorrow!

Bekah graduates on Thursday!

Spring has sprung and if you look in our backyard, you will find baby bunnies, baby ducks, baby groundhogs, and baby birds. There are so many babies.... and of course there is soon to be baby Kelley, baby Thompson, baby Wimberely, and baby....??? oops... that friend wants to remain anonymous for now.... (BUT IT IS NOT ME!)

Highway 40 Symposium

After several weeks of planning, organizing, stressing out and praying, today was The Highway 40 Symposium sponsored by the YMCA. The idea came after talking with a few of Board Members about how we are going to handle the upcoming Highway 40 closures since our branch is in the middle of Brentwood and most of our members work in Clayton. We figured if we are asking a lot of questions and worrying, other big companies must be worrying as well. WE WERE RIGHT!

We sent invitations to 100 local companies and invited them to come hear speakers from MoDot, The City of Clayton, Missouri Public Transit, and other local experts on traffic and what comapanies are doing about this upcoming issue. We limited attendance to 40 companies... (get it.... 40 companies... highway 40....?) Cheesy I know....

Anyway, we had 40 companies call and RSVP, but since the seminar was FREE, we were not sure that they would actually come. We held the event off-site, served breakfast (donated by Balaban's) and lunch (sold at cost by Applegate's). We had great YMCA materials to share with all of the attendees and gave small leather portfolios with the YMCA logo debossed on them and pen and pencil sets to each company that attended! We were well organized and professional- that made me happy.... and made my boss happy! HOORAY!

So, after we set up and got everything in place, the question still remained.... HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY SHOW UP? I was getting a little nervous...but, would you believe that 40 companies registered and 40 companies SHOWED UP? Wow- God totally answered my prayer! It was great.

The event went very smoothly, and we were VERY excited that Ladue News, the Post-Dispatch and Channel 4 all sent reporters (the Post sent 3!).

I am so thankful that things went so well. I am even more thankful that the YMCA was marketed well, and that we are now viewed as an organization who is a leader in our community who is reaching out to offer solutions to real community issues.

Today was a great day! Praise the Lord!

Congrats!

Congratulations to Jennifer! Today was her very last day of high school! Sunday she will graduate from Ladue, and we are so proud of her... She has come a long way in the last year, and we are thrilled for her. Last night we attended Senior Awards Night at the High School, where Jenn was honored with a Broadcast Journalism Award. Sunday we will watch her as she crosses the stage and receives her diploma... my oh my they grow up so fast. I remember when she was born as if it was yesterday. We love you Jenn!

Congratulations are also in order for Bekah! Bekah will soon graduate from 8th grade and will be headed to High School. She has been selected to sing the National Anthem at the graduation ceremony too... we are pretty excited for her. Also, she learned today that the all-girl Chamber Singers which she sings with received first place among all of the choirs who recently completed at the Middle School Festival. WAY TO GO!

We have been blessed with two beautiful, smart, and talented girls. We are so proud of you both!

Look Alike?

Some people just have a face that is familiar. Some believe that everyone has a twin somewhere in the world. But for my hubby Jason, he hears very often that he looks like a couple of different superstars... For those of you who know Jason, what do you think? Do you think he looks like either of these famous guys?

Joey- From NSYNC

Jeff Supan- Former St. Louis Cardinal

What do YOU think?

Gonna Dance the Night Away...

This week has been an awesome week for our girls. Last Saturday night, Jennifer went to her Senior prom and had a great time. Tonight Bekah went to her 8th grade formal dance and she had a blast too. Both girls looked beautiful for their special events. In fact, they looked so beautiful that a particular daddy that I know and love didn’t really want to let them leave the house without a burlap sack.

Both girls took a digital camera with them, and there were lots of great ones to choose from (including some with a few pretty “cute guys”), but I didn’t want to embarrass anyone TOO much! Here are a few pictures from the dances.

Bekah- leaving the house.

Bekah with a few friends.

Jen leaving the house.

Jen with a few friends.

My, my, they grow up so fast! We have been blessed with two beautiful girls! Oh yeah, and two very EXPENSIVE girls! Do you know how much this stuff costs? Geez… Dresses, shoes, prom ticket, limo ride, jewelry, nails, hair stuff, make-up… and on and on…. Well…. I guess you only graduate from 8th grade, and high school once! They are worth every penny!

We love you Bekah and Jen!

Too Funny

This too funny...

"After12 years of intense therapy, my therapist finally said something life changing, that brought tears to my eyes... He said, "No hablo Ingles!"

Maybe I am the only one in the world who is laughing hysterically, but in my opinion.... that it REALLY funny!

Lemonade

We have all heard the old saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." I thought that this was cool and wanted to share it. Here is a new way to look at an old, familiar saying:

"When life hands you lemons, GOD gives you the opportunity to make lemonade... and if you ask, HE will even provide you with the sugar."

Chicago Pictures

I have a few minutes, and I thought I would post 2 more pictures from Chicago. I had such a great time with my girls! I love you Boo and Jen!

SO SASSY!!!

The Story Behind the Question...

What are your thoughts?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/20/transgender.prom.king.ap/index.html?eref=rss_us

Question

I just read an interesting story, which provoked me to ask you all a question:

Should a girl be able to run for Prom KING?

I know, I know...

I know, I haven't blogged for almost a week. My girls, and a few others have told me that I need to pick up the pace and get to blogging. So, in a few short minutes, let me give you an update:

• I am tired
• Work is going great
• Bekah (aka Rapunzel) is loving theatre and her show closes on Wednesday night
• Jennifer would like you to know that it only 27 days until graduation
• Jason finished the bowling season with a decent average
• The Highway 40 Symposium is coming together nicely
• The bedroom is finally painted and the new furniture will be here Saturday
• My lower back/hip still hurts really badly
• Mikki had the all important surgery and did great
• It is time to start shopping for prom and 8th grade dance dresses
• The plumbing is fixed in the bathroom sink finally
• The cost of gas is insane
• The weather is beautiful
• God continues to bless us

I will try to post pictures soon.

How about you... what are you up to these days?

Say Goodbye Sanjaya- FINALLY!

Ladies and Gentlemen....

He is finally gone! Thank you for voting him off- American Idol is worth watching again!

Girls' Road Trip

The girls and I took a trip to Chicago this weekend. We saw the Sears Tower, the Contemporary Art Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, Wicked, and a million other random things! I have taken a lot of pictures, and I want to share them, but to be honest, I am just too tired tonight, but here is my favorite of the entire weekend!

I love my girls so much! I will post more pictures and comentary on the weekend as soon as I can. I am thankful that we had a great trip and that we have arrived home safely.

The Results are "BACK"

As you know, I had an MRI this week because it was believed that I had a fractured vertabrae or a ruptured disc. Today that doctor called with great news. I have neither of the conditions that were feared. The MRI showed a large amount of swelling in my lower back, which is responsible for the pain that I am experiencing. Praise the Lord!

So, for now I have 2 choices. I can either A.) deal with the pain with pain killers and work through it until the swelling goes down or B.) Go to PT and be tortured and still take pain killers and wait for the swelling to go down.

I have actually opted for a third choice. I am going to take ALEVE instead of pain killers, and use all of my previous experience with PT to make sure that I am stretching and keeping mobile, and wait for the swelling to go down.

Thanks for all of your prayers. I am thankful that I won't have to deal with anything else major when it comes to my back!

OUCHY!

When I asked my friend to pray for me about a "little" issue I was having, I didn't expect it to make the prayer list at church- but I know intentions were good.... so I am not mad or anything. Now I just have a lot of questions to answer, so I thought this was a good venue to do that.

First let me say, Yes, I know that I am stupid.
Yes, I know that I broke all of the rules.
Yes, I know that this is all my fault!

So, anyway... this is what happened. About 8 weeks ago, I was standing on a chair, painting. (I know... bad idea.) On top of that being a bad idea, I didn't have shoes on...only socks (very bad idea). I am sure that I don't have to tell you what happened next... Conni came tumbling down... Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall... and it hurt- A LOT....

So with time, I felt better, although I was bruised. Last week things started to hurt a bit more, and by the end of the weekend, I was experiencing a great deal of pain. With a little nudging... I decided to make a doctor's appointment.

Upon examination it was determined that I likely have either a fractured vertabrae, or a ruptured disc. I guess that explains the pain! So... they sent me for an MRI today, and I should have the results tomorrow or Friday.

I am thinking three things at this point:
1. If it was something really bad, they wouldn't have let me leave the hospital.
2. No matter what it is, I will be fine.... I have dealt with a lot already.
3. I will never stand on a chair again while painting!

Thanks for your continued prayers- God is good.

More Decorating

We had pretty much given up on finding a new bedroom set after searching high and low. We had decided that it just wasn't meant to be. But then.... we stopped in at Ashley's Furniture and low and behold... there it was. It is the perfect blend of what he wants, and what I want. It is just perfect! So, we decided to buy it, and it will be delivered on April 28th!

Now, I guess I don't have a good excuse anymore to wait to get the painting done in the bedroom. I have the new bedding purchased too... so I just need to match colors, and get busy with the roller!

Does anyone know any great little stores that have great decorating pieces? I like Pier One and places like that, but they haven't gotten anything new in a long time and I am kind of getting bored with them! I am betting that there is some little hidden store that has great things that I don't know about.... maybe in Webster or Old St. Charles? (what about an on-line store?)

Anyone have any ideas....??

Easter Ham

I was with a few friends tonight, and we were talking about what we had eaten for Easter lunch. We started talking about how ham is the most common Easter meat, and we wondered why. A few ideas bounced around the room, but I wanted to see what the internet had to say about it, because everyone knows that everything you read on the internet is true! :)

Anyway, I visited several sites, and here is the most common answer to the question-

Why do we eat ham on Easter?

"Because the Old Testament forbade pork, and in Christ's New Testament the old food laws no longer hold. "

Does anyone out there (perhaps a scholar) have another explanation as to why most of us eat Ham on Easter?

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! I pray that you will have a very blessed day remembering the most important thing in life.....HE'S ALIVE!

All glory and honor and praise be HIS for evermore!

The Wizard...

We all know that the Scarecrow wanted a brain, the Tinman wanted a heart, the Lion wanted courage, and poor Dorothy just wanted to go home.
What would you ask the Wizard for?

I love you Cardinals....

... But, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? Do you boys not know that the idea of the game is to get runs? Do you remember what it is like to win? You are the world champions... I know it is early in the season... but come on already.... show us that you want to win again!

It's all Jimmy's Fault

Qdoba Addiction.

Need I say more?

My Night

What a great show!

Bekah was in her first professional theatre show this weekend. We are so proud of her- not only was she was accepted to the professional theatre, she was chosen as the chorus captain! HOORAY for Bekah! It was a great show, and it will close tomorrow afternoon. If you want to see the show, you can contact MetroTix. Unfortunatley, we were not permitted to take photographs at the show... sorry. We are so proud of her- it was a GREAT show.Here is the ticket from the show!
Between shows today, we went to supper. It was pouring rain, and the sky was pretty scary. We were excited to see a rainbow though. I tried to get a picture at the stoplight so I could share God's promise with the rest of you! It's amazing... even when you are not looking for Him, He reminds you of His presence. God is good.

Conni the Waitress

This morning, the YMCA hosted Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Applebees. It was a lot of fun for the kids and a good fundraiser for the Y. Jason played the Easter Bunny... which made me laugh... he will never live down hopping around in a very feminine bunny suit! The girls and I had the role of seating people and taking pictures. Well, at least that is what was supposed to happen. It was pretty obvious that Applebees had not prepared well with staff, and before I knew it, I found myself in the kitchen, preparing plates and drinks for people. BEING A WAITRESS IS HARD WORK. There were damanding people, crying kids, and crabby cooks to deal with. Wait staff doesn't make enough money. In fact, I am not sure you could pay me enough to do it on a regular basis. Well, I didn't feel like it was fair to ask my staff to do it, so I did as much as I could before I recruited my sweet girls to help. I was impressed with Bekah and Jenn's ability and willingness to help. They didn't even complain.

Now we are home, and hoping for a nap before we head out to see Bekah's play this afternoon, and then again tonight.

More chruch signs

I saw two more church signs on my way to work this morning that I thought were worth sharing.

"Looking for a sign from God- this might be it."

"Jesus built us a bridge with 2 pieces of wood and 3 nails."

What church signs have you seen that have made an impact on you?

Another Thought for the Day

(I read this on a church sign tonight while going to take my mom to dinner for her birthday... and thought it was worth sharing.)

"Forbidden fruit always produces plenty of jams."

I think there is a lot of truth to that. What do you think?

I like Cereal!!

I love cereal. When I want a snack... I often choose cereal... when I am home alone and it is time to eat.... cereal it is.... So, I was just wondering... what is your favorite kind of cereal?

Is it Fruit Loops, Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran, Rice Crispies, Chex, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Honeycomb.... or something else?

YUM.... I think I will have a bowl right now!

Thankful

This morning, I was thinking about things that I am especially thankful for this week. Of course I am thankful for my friends and family, and to be a child of God, but these are things that just struck me as blessings that sometimes I take for granted. So here is part of the list of things that I am especially thankful for this week:

1. Mommy-Daughter time at Applebee's with Boo.
2. A relaxing dinner with my sweetheart and a wonderful friend.
3. A meeting that had the potential of being really bad that turned out beautifully.
4. Diet coke and chex-mix at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
5. My sweet Bekah grabbing my hand during a prayer at church.
6. Tuesday morning prayer.
7. Walking away from a bad situation so Satan can't creep his way in!
8. Playing computer games, and competing with my girls- THEY ALWAYS WIN!
9. Pre-season Cardinal Baseball
10. Shopping with my mom.
11. Dinner with great friends on Wednesday night!
12. Marketing!
13. Comfy shoes.
14. Cuddling with my hubby.... even though Mikki likes to wedge her way between us!
15. Not letting people from the past affect me... even though they still pester!
16. Being part of the best small group ever!

I could go on and on... God has blessed me in so many ways! What are the "little" things that you have been thankful for this week?

Decorating, Decorating

I love decorating! I LOVE IT!

The kitchen is completely painted and put back together. I shared pictures a while back...

The new living room furniture, rugs, lamps, and pictures are all in their new places... and now I am thinking that I don't like the new curtains, so I am taking those back, and now I think I want to paint... which was my original plan, but I decided not to after picking dark curtains... but now that I am keeping the light ones, I think I need at least an accent wall! I should have painted first. Sometimes I do things a little backwards! Anyway, the living room is just about done.

We went looking for new bedroom furniture last weekend, and guess what? WE DIDN'T BUY A THING! I have new bedding and curtains waiting for the new bed and windows.... I just can't find a bedroom set that really jumps at me! Maybe I am too picky! Does anyone have any suggestions of where to get good furniture for a great price? I am thinking that once we find furniture, then we will donate the old stuff to Lydia House, and then we can paint the bedroom before the new furniture comes.

We have plans for Mikki's room/Office too, but we want to finish the other bedrooms first... the girls' are just about done too... they keep changing their minds on the last little details. It is hard having teenage girls...

We hope to have the house done by summer, and then it will be time to deal with the yard some more. ... I am thinking that we will get Tim to come and take care of us to start out with... Winter was hard on the yard....

Oh Yeah... and then we have the shutters to deal with.... ahhh.... it never ends....

Just about the time we get that all taken care of, it will be time to start raking leaves again.

I love decorating, but I am not too thrilled with the yard work and outside junk!

When the Innocent Get Blamed

Innocent people should not be blamed.

Now this may seem like common knowledge, but somehow it is not.

There are a few blogs that I read everyday. There are others that I check from time to time, just to see if there is anything going on.... SO.... I popped on one that I had not checked for some time, only to read a blog about Harry Potter.... and then a bunch of comments from the author and some anti-American crazy person, and as I continued to read, I see a comment that sites MY BLOG, and basically blames me for the comments, and then uses some nice not very nice words!
I don't appreciate it!

I have much better things to do than trash your blog... so please.... don't blame those who are not guilty.

Say Goodbye Sanjaya

Please make it stop!

Please America... don't vote for him again.

Say goodbye Sanjaya, PLEASE say goodbye!

Great Small Group!

Tonight some of us from small group met at Dave and Buster's for a time of food, fellowship and fun. The food was pretty decent... the fellowship was awesome and the fun was great...but could become VERY addicting if you're not careful!

Does anyone else out there like Dave and Buster's as much as I do?

The Agony of Defeat

After a year of bragging rights as the McKnight Road Trivia Champions, tonight our small group lost the title to a well-deserving team. To tell the truth, we got slaughtered.... But, we had a great time, and are already looking forward to next year! For the past 3 years, there has been one team that really gives me a hard time, and says, "You are going down!" I'd like you all to know that tonight, for the 3rd time, our team beat his! HOORAY. The evening was great, and everyone had a great time. Here are a few of the highlights. Mikki couldn't come with us, but she still looked cute in her St. Patrick's Day shades! She is SO CUTE!.... (this picture reminds me that she needs a haircut!

Bekah was the winner of the costume contest.... she looked great! Way to go Bekah!

Steve did a wonderful job providing music for the Irish Song round- he is so talented. Thanks for sharing your gifts with us Steve.

The youth group was well represnted and did a great job! It was nice to find out that the school systems are acutally teaching something to our kids! I think the picture above is way too funny!

As always, it was fun to hang with my honey and my girls. It was so weird to hear Miss Denise tell Jennifer to go stand by her "sister." It seems so weird, but I suppose it is accurate. They have gotten as close as sisters.... well, and they fight like sisters too. We are so blessed to have 2 special girls! We love you Boo and Jen!

This year the Trivia Night was a fund raiser, and over $1,100 was raised for Children's Programs. Our small group put together an ice-cream basket for the auction, and it was well received! I was glad that the Crawfords liked it so much and that Anna was so excited to take it home.

Well, it is late, and I need to hit the hay...

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY everyone!

Simple Math

1 husband + 9 stikes in a row = 1 very happy husband!
Way to go Jason! Love you!

What does this mean to you?

"It's not about the rules, it's about the relationship."

Phenomenal

This video is phenomenal. It's only about 3 minutes long. Be sure that your sound is on.

http://tinyurl.com/yxewot

Thought for the day

Food poisoning is much better than appendicitis.... but is still very NOT FUN.

Rick Warren

Wow- Rick Warren is as good of a speaker as he is a writer.
As I mentioned yesterday, I was blessed to be invited to the
Mayor's Prayer Breakfast this morning at America's Center. The place was packed, the food was so-so, and the message was FABULOUS!

In addition to his message, the morning was filled with prayers and Scripture readings by local leaders. There were a lot of great people there like Frank Cusumano (KSDK), Ernie Hays of the St. Louis Cardinals, Ben Edwards if A.G. Edwards and Sons, and of course Francis Slay. There were a ton of high powered professionals there, and Rick's message to us all was that we have been blessed with what we have because God wants us to use it to His glory. I was surprised how many amens I heard.

In addition to the prayer breakfast, I was invited to attend the press conference afterwards, which focussed on a collaboration between Rick and the City of St. Louis called PEACE- which can really make a difference in the world!

After the press conference, I volunteered at a session for inner city teens. Rick gave another message, and seemed to totally connect with the kids. I really believe that his message can change the world. His message at the prayer was obviously focussed on God, while his message to the teens was still focussed on God, but he never directly said that. He is a great speaker!

Here is what I think- Rick Warren and Oprah need to go on a world tour together- preaching the good news, and encouraging the world to change for good!

If you ever have the opportunity to hear Rick speak, DON'T MISS IT!

Excited!

McKnight just finished working through the 40 days of purpose. It was a great study, and a very thought provoking one to say the least. I am so excited because tomorrow morning, I am blessed to be able to attend the St. Louis Mayor's Prayer Breakfast at America's Center downtown. Guess who the speaker is? RICK WARREN (the author of The Purpose Driven Life). I am so excited to hear him in person. I will try to blog about it tomorrow night!

Encouraged!

This is my friend and coworker, Amy. Amy is a great encourager in my life. Today she encouraged me to work out more, and while I am somewhat apprehensive about making yet another committment in my life, NO ONE can say "NO" to Amy! She is planning on running a relay marathon in a few months, so she is preparing for that. I won't be running any marathons... but I have made the decision to really work hard to get back into the shape that I once was in! Amy is so motivational and her belief in people is amazing- she believes I can meet my goals (even though I am not sure that I can)! She is an awesome person!

Amy is also an encourager to me on a spiritual level. On a stressful day, she asked me if I was okay, and I said, "I am alright." She said, "Jesus loves you!" How could I have a bad day after hearing that? She makes me think about things in a different light sometimes! She is a good friend, and I am thankful for her encouragement and motivation!

So, if you happen to be in the Mid-County YMCA, don't be surprised if you see two crazy girls talking about Jesus while giving the treadmills a run for their money!

Thanks Amy- you rock! See you in the fitness center!

If you don't like the content...

If you don't like the content on tv, change the channel.

If you don't like the discussion in a room, walk away.

If you don't like your job- get a new one.

and... If you don't like what I blog about... stop visiting here!

I think that it is sad that at church this morning, someone said to me... "Conni, you've got a few people on your blog that always have something negative to say..." Okay Mr./Mrs. Negativity... why do you insist on being so negative? Don't pretend that you don't know that I am talking to you... because I am... tell us, please.... why are you so negative? Let us help you find something positive to focus on. Let us share with you something to smile about... and if you are not interested.... CHANGE THE CHANNEL... there are lots of other stations and other blogs to visit.

Back to Blogging!

It's been a crazy week! It was brought to my attention that I haven't blogged since last Sunday, and I couldn't believe it. I can't believe that I let it go that long! So, here is a quick update on life.

Bekah is working hard at mastering her music for the 2 musicals that she is currently in, as well as her competition peices for choir at school. She has been singing on the praise team, which she enjoys a lot too. She is also busy with school work, youth group, and of course family time! Her summer plans are coming together too... Camp counselor for drama camp, helping with the new girls' choir, and mission trips. Oh yeah.... she has been living large on the vegatarian lifestyle for over a month now!

Jenn is busy with ONE thing- MOVING ON TO COLLEGE! I'd like to keep her at home, but I am selfish! She is busy getting scholarships lined up, worrying about majors, and or course, what colors to use in her dorm room! These things are important! Her summer plans are also coming together- mission trip.... and FINDING A JOB!

Jason is slammed at work- and although he is tired... he loves it. He is also supporting a few friends and their computer needs (a few... or a few dozen!!). Of course he is still bowling- and loves that too... I don't care too much for the smell of smoke that he brings home... but hey, what you do? He is leading more at small group, and spending some time mentoring at church.

As for me... I am good. I am still LOVING my job... although it has been pretty stressful lately. It is just that time of year, and my boss was out for 2 weeks, which put extra stress on me. I just kept reminding myself that this stress doesn't even come close to the stress of my old job- it made the YMCA stress seem like a walk in the park on a summer day. I have an overnight trip for work this week- that should be interesting. I am having fun with the worship committee and praise team- it is great to serve God with music!

I still struggle with a little forgiveness issues... but I am praying about it- I'd appreciate your prayers too! :)

Jason and I have been furniture shopping, and finally made a decision today. Our new stuff will be here on Friday! Of course when you buy new funiture, you have to buy new curtains and a new rug too! We also need to find new lamps! So, we did that today too. I hope we find a new entertainment center soon, I am pretty unhappy with the one we have now, but it will do, if we don't find what we want soon. We were just about to purchase one today... but Jason said he thought we were settling so we didn't get it. We will find one- when the time is right. Now that we have purchased the furniture, I want to clean the capet, and paint! (I will post pictures when it is done!)

In other news... Mikki is going to the doc this week- but all is good... We worked Room at the Inn last night... it was great. My mom even got involved... it was awesome... I am addicted to a new computer game... the Cardinals won today (8-1)... we are making plans for our Chicago trip... we are making new decoration plans for Mikki's room... I am working out more now... It's American Idol time again, and my favorites are Chris and Gina... and I still hate doing laundry!

So, that is how life is going for us... how is everyone else?

Oh, by the way... congrats to Jen, Karl and Spencer on the birth of a precious baby boy!

Things to talk about

There are so many things that I want to talk about with you!

Valentine Dinner
40 days of purpose
My amazing small group
Spiritual Growth
Mikki
College Acceptence
Sesame Street (yes, really)
Prayer requests
Dream Girls- JENNIFER HUDSON
Popcorn
Marriage
Little Miss Sunshine
Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat
Terrible Dresses
and about 76 other things.....

But, I am so tired.... it will have to wait.
What are you thinking about today?

I am Blessed

In addition to being blessed with a great family, a great church, and a zillion other great things, I am blessed to manage and work with some great people. This picture was taken today at a district meeting. Active listening was the topic... which we all need, but it was sort of boring to tell you the truth! Anyway, here are a few of the folks I work with...

(Left to Right) Angela, Lindsay (rear), Kari, and Amy. These ladies are not only great workers, but they are fun to be around too! Oh, yeah, when I told the girls that I was posting this picture, Lindsay reminded me to tell you all that all 4 ladies are single and looking!

Will you help?

I don't know if this story is true or not. Either way, I think that it is a great thing for each of us to think about-

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco. "Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me."
"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him."
"There's something you should know" the son continued, "he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."
"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."
"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."
"Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide.
The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one leg.

Working Hard

Today was a great day, even though I think I have worked harder than I have in a very long time. Once each year, our Board of Directors meets for a day of planning, and today was the day. I planned the event with the help of my new friend (and Board Member) Norty, who happens to be the owner and President of Moosylvania Marketing, our Board Chair, Tracy, and of course Cesar. Here are a few pictures:

The above picture is of a focus group discussing how the Highway 40 project will affect business. We expect to take a pretty hard hit once it happens, so this group brainstormed about what can we do to make things easier for our members during the nightmare construction. It was a good group.

This picture is of a few of my favorite people to work with... Steve and Tracy on the right, and Norty on the left... It was taken at the very end of the day. We had a cocktail hour at the end of the day with appetizers and drinks. It was a good time.

I am exhausted, and hungry, and my feet hurt after a very long day. But, I would say that in spite of all of that- today was a great day, and I feel like I was able to use the gifts that God gave me to organize, plan, provide intelligent information and be a good representitive for my employer! I am tired, but I feel good!

Maybe I will take part of the day off tomorrow and rest!

Oh- One more thing.... if you are local, and you ever need a place to have a meeting, give Norty a call at Moosylvania.... EVEYTHING WAS GREAT!

Men and Women

Lifestyle and behavior choices that men take for granted, and largely fail to realize that women cannot...

Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be president.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear no T-shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just 'too icky'.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental - $100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood - all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
Your belly usually hides your big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket-knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for twenty-five relatives on 24th December in forty-five minutes.

AMAZING!

It has been very cold in St. Louis for the last few weeks. We have enjoyed snow and we've had ice that we haven't enjoyed so much...but it was awesome see. The pictures below were taken in Switzerland, and were sent to me by a friend. Seeing them made me feel guilty for complaining about the cold weather! Take a look at these...

I love weather... and I really enjoy seasons. I wouldn't want to live someplace that was 60 degrees all year round. I like storms, and snow, and sunshine, and even ice when I don't have to go out.

I also think that these pictures are awesome because they show the power and beauty of God. He is so awesome. It is amazing to me that anyone could look at such beauty in nature and then refuse to acknowledge God.

I am glad that I didn't experience the weather in the pictures first hand, but I am thankful that I was able to see them in the pictures! Thanks for sharing!

VERY STRONG FEELINGS

In America...
we have the right to have opinions.
In America...
we have the right to disagree.
In America...
we have the right to have differences.
In America...
we have a right to have preferences.
In America...
we have a right to free speech.
In America...
we have the right to worship...
In America...
we have the right to a lot of things...

AND.... as Americans and as humans we have the RESPONSIBILITY to exercise our rights reasonably and responsibly. Our rights are only valid when we exercise good judgement and kindness. For example, we have the right to free speech, but can be sued for slander or deformation of character. We have the right to disagree, but if someone gets murdered for thinking differently or worshipping differently, the right no longer has any validity.

I am so fed up with the "eye for an eye" theory. Okay, so I may not agree with the war in Iraq (and maybe I do), but I don't spout off at elected officials or portray negative attitudes about the country in which we live. I may not agree with everything our President does or says (and maybe I do), but the long and short of it is....WE ELECTED HIM, AND FOR NOW, HE IS THE PRESIDENT- we need to make the best of it. And, we are kidding ourselves if we think that he makes decisions on his own. Perhaps those who are slandering our President and our county should vote in the next election, contact their congressmen/women or run for office themselves. If you can do better, by all means, I urge you to step up- but until then, PLEASE stop spreading negativity and causing more harm to America by promoting devisiveness and anger. We have a responsibility to be kind and respectful.

As Americans, we are SO blessed to have SO MANY freedoms, and it angers me a great deal that some people take those freedoms as a lisence to do whatever they want- even if it causes harm to someone else.

Freedom DOES NOT equal the right to do and say whatever we want without consequence. Honesty does NOT mean that we say everything that we think and feel.

Freedom equals RESPONSIBILITY.

And to the people out there who are so unhappy with America, and "what this country has turned into," you have the FREEDOM to move to another county whenever you are ready.

I am so sad for you that you can't see just how blessed we all are to live in such a wonderful country. Because most people in the world don't have 1/2 of the freedoms that we do in AMERICA!

Maybe I should take a day off?

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentines to my Sweetie and my girls! Love you all!

Good Things

Today was filled with good things...

prayer group
snow
safe travel to and from work
breakfast with friends... (and someone else bought! thnx again!)
hot chocolate on a very cold and very windy day
s...l...o...w... pace at work
long afternoon nap
comfort food for supper- blueberry pancakes... eggs... hashbrowns...
time with my hubby and girls
a new episode of Law and Order!
Nate is okay after a car accident! (still praying for you Nate)

and all the normal blessings on top of all of the special good things I enjoyed today! Did you have good things happen in your life today?

Baby it's Cold Outside

Although it is only raining outside at this point, virtually every school in the St. Louis area is closed today due to the weather that is expected to enter our area today. Notice I said, "virtually every school." At this point Ladue is NOT closed... but our girls won't be going to school today... we'd like them to be safe. IT'S COLD AND WINDY AND WET..... I'd like to crawl back into bed... but I think I will go to prayer group and then head to work as ususal. Have a great snowy day!

"The Botanically Unexplained"

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Okay, get this... Bekah is in the gifted program at school, and the class does a lot of unusual studies and projects. They have studied futuristic items, stock market, world cultures, 3-D design, pop culture, debate (including arguments for and against cloning, stem cell research and corporal punishment). The gifted class is designed for those with an IQ that meets gifted standards by the state of Missouri, and for those who are mature enough to handle the extra work and responsibility of being in a gifted program. Recently, the group started studying the paranormal. Bekah's group was assigned "Crop Circles" to research and study.

Today, Bekah came home and told me that the study of "Crop Circles" was offensive to a class member, and now they have to call the study "The Botanically Unexplained."

Does this seem a little unusual or a little over the top to anyone except Bekah and me?

Study of Cloning= acceptable
Study of Crop Circles = unacceptable

Who sets the standards of what is okay to study.... nationally accredited curriculum, or those who may be afraid of what they don't already know or understand? I just don't get it.

I am offended that Ladue chooses to have Middle School Events on Wednesday evenings, and that the High School has Gay/Straight Alliance Week.....but they didn't change those things when an objection was noted.

okay....stop bothering me....

wow.... alright then. I posted about the variety show and then all of a sudden I have a half dozen emails telling me how "sad" it is that we don't have any pictures from the show.... so, I asked my good friend Brad to send me one that had Bekah in it... and he sent this one of us singing the opening song together. THANKS BRAD!


I had a great time with Bekah.... she is a natural performer!

2007 McKnight Road Talent Show

Last night was the annual McKnight Road Talent Show. This year the theme was BROADWAY! Bekah and I were blessed to serve as the emcees for the program. We had a great time. It was an honor and a pleasure to work with Steve over the last few months getting things ready for the show. Here is a picture of Bekah and me right before the show started.

As always, Steve did a great job. He is an unbelievable musician. I can honestly say that I have NEVER met a more talented man as far as music goes. God truly blessed him with a gift. Since Bekah and I were on the stage for the whole night, we didn't have the opportunity to take pictures.... so I am posting this one of Steve that I took during one of our "jam sessions." He looks a little sleepy.... Today, I saw him at church, and he looked pretty sleepy there too.

The night was filled with great acts. I am amazed at the talent at McKnight. Wow. Now, I realized that I am a little biased, but I have to tell you, that our sweet Bekah was awesome. She sang, "As Long as He Needs Me" from Oliver! and was fantastic. We are so proud of her! Hooray Bekah! Some of my other favorites include: Alex, who played the saxaphone for tips, Mike, who sang "Music of the Night," Steve's rendition of "Hello Dolly," Becky's performance of "Embracable You," and of course Rebecca Schene and her songs from "Cabaret." I also really liked "Blessed Be Your Name." We had a few new acts this year, and Paul was the hightlight of that group for me! But, we also had a few missing- Carol got sick at the last minute, and Jenny was feeling a little too pregnant to be on stage! We missed you ladies....we will see you next year.

Anyway, it was great fun, and a lot of work. Here is a final picture of Bekah and me at the end of the night.... once the stage was cleared and most of the crowd was gone. Bekah and I were WIPED out.... and Bekah really was asleep on the stage for this picture...and I wasn't far behind her.

We are already looking forward to next year! We hope that you are too!

A Pat on the Back for Conni

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I had my review at work today! Not only are they going to keep me, but I got a raise too! I love my job... God has surely blessed me!

Richard has Gone Home

After a long battle with cancer, Richard Dolan finished his time on this earth and went home to be with God last night around 11:30. Richard was a good friend and great mentor to many. Please remember his wife, Barbara, and their family during this difficult time.

Thanks to Brad Stevns for the picture.

Practice Makes Perfect

Well, practice makes better anyway.... perfection is not an obtainable goal. :)

Tonight we rehearsed again for the show on Saturday night. It was a lot of fun to jam with these good friends, but my voice is getting tired! Here are a few pics...

We had a great time tonight, and hope that we will have a better time Saturday night at the show. It is our prayer that God will be glorified because we are using the gifts He gave to us to praise Him.

Hope to see you all there!

Busy as Usual....

Here are my thoughts for the day...

It is crazy that I am too busy to write a real blog entry...
Prince looked rediculous with that rag on his head at the Superbowl... he looked like he should have been flipping pancakes instead of making music!
BEKAH MADE A VERY SHORT CALL BACK LIST FOR JOSEPH... now it is time for DANCE AUDITIONS!
Mikki sees the heart doc on Thursday.
I had a great time at the superbowl party I went to.
I was bored at work today...
I won't be bored tomorrow! (that's what I get for telling the boss that I am bored!)
Hey- I have been recognized as an outstanding woman executive.... (impressive, eh? Yeah, I didnt think so either- what a bunch of junk!)
Rehearsal tomorrow night, church Wednesday night, worship committee Thursday night, more rehearsal Friday night.... THE BIG SHOW ON SATURDAY NIGHT! Will you be there?
Time for bed..... goodnight!

Predictions??

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Bears or Colts?

My prediction...... COLTS 24-14.

Calling all Choral Singers....

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I have been asked by my place of employment to start and direct an all girls choir. Needless to say, I am excited! Anyway, I know a lot of my blog readers have participated in a variety of choral programs over the years. So, I was wondering, will you please share with me what your favorite and least favorite choral pieces are? In other words, what did you like singing... or not like singing?

lalalalalalalalalala!