Weekend

This weekend has flown by! It has been busy and fun at the same time. On Saturday morning, we hosted a breakfast at Applebee's on Hanley. It was a fund raiser for the youth group's mission trip. We had a great turn out, and we raised over $500! HOORAY! Most of the kids worked hard, and a good time of food and fellowship was had by all. Here are a few picutres...

Thanks to all who came out to support our teens!

This morning after church, there was much fun to be had by our youth group, as Bekah was surprised with a 14th birthday party with her friends! We had pizza and cake, and a great time! Here are a few pictures:

We are so blessed to be part of such a wonderful church and a wonderful group of friends. Happy Birthday Bekah- and I promise.... no more surprises! (until next year!)

bring our troops home...

Heather Martin - When Are You Coming Home - by Bye2luv

Super Funny Bird Talking

This bird has more talent than a lot of people that I know! Too funny... He is SO smart!

Due Date

How many of you out there are wondering if I am pregnant based on the title of this blog?



Well, I am not!

14 years ago I was very pregnant, and very ready to have my sweet baby! It was June 29, 1993, and I was miserable! I was so ready to have her... but she didn't come on time! Maybe that was an indicator that she would grow into a young woman who was very strong willed and very independent! She liked to do things her way then, and she likes to do things her way now!

The last 14 years have been an amazing journey and a ride full of blessings. It's hard to imagine that she will soon celebrate her 14th birthday!

I will post more over the next few days about what a wonderful soon to be 14 year old we have!

Career

Most of us had an idea of what we wanted to do when we "grew up." Then we went to college, and maybe majored in that subject, or maybe in something totally different. Then we got into the real world and got a job! This job, may or may not be what we wanted to do when we grew up, or what we majored in. Then, while we are working our jobs, we often think.... "I want to switch careers completely!

So, I thought it would be fun to share what our career journeys... So here is mine... I hope that you will share yours with me.

What I wanted to be when I grew up: A MOMMY, and a 1st grade teacher
What I majored in: Bachelor's/ Social Work, Master's/ Counseling (still not finished!)
Present Job: Branch Administrator/ Marketing Director
If I were to switch careers: ???
What my friends say I should be: Florist, Therapist, Attorney

Maybe I should go back to school? Nah.

What about you... ? How would you answer these questions?

Life is like a box of chocolate...

Jennifer just said a very funny thing, and I thought that I would share. So, here it is...

"Life is like a box of chocolate, if you get one with nuts, you might swell up and die!"

How would you complete the sentence....

Life is like a box of chocolates...

Because of You

I LOVE THIS SONG- anyone else like it?

Quote of the day!

Today at work, someone said this and I thought it was too funny! Here is the quote:

"You can't fix stupid."

I guess that is true. You can fix a lot of things, but you can't fix stupid.

Thought for today...

If you can't... then don't.

It is so frustrating to me when people choose to do things that they clearly have no business doing. Now, if they are learning new skills, I believe that they should have the opportunity to try them out, but not in situations that will negatively effect lots of people. When people make a choice to do something that they are not skilled at doing, there is a great potential to cost others a great deal of time, effort, money, and frustrations.

A baker should not pretend to be a computer genius.
A mechanic should not pretend that he can be a great doctor.
A teacher should not pretend to be a fire fighter or a police officer.

If you can't do it- DON'T!

(yes, this was sparked by a particular incident, but it wouldn't be nice to share the name of the person who thinks s/he is an expert about something that s/he knows very little about... although most people know anyway!)

Oh- that is so FRUSTRATING to me! (mmmm.... I bet I have been guilty of this myself too!)

Make it from Scratch!

I was just chatting with someone about making things from scratch, and I thought it might be fun to ask you all what your favorite thing to make (or eat if you don't cook) from scratch?

My favorite 2 things to make from scratch are cinnamon roles and chocolate turtle cheesecake!

What are your favorites?

Question of the day...

White or Wheat?

A Therapist's Nightmare Client...

Veggie Tales Rock!

Serving others by doing something you love...

Our youth minister Jimmy, has really put a strong emphasis on serving others- others in the community, the church, over seas... or whoever we can. I have been thankful for the encouragement that he has offered our girls to serve. I have also been thankful that our girls have been willing to serve in various ways.

Bekah impressed me today with something that she did. She learned today that she had a great opportunity to do something later this summer that is an exciting opportunity. It is something that was a great honor to be asked to do. She was excited, but then she remembered that she had already made a committment to do something else during the same time period. She had the opportunity to "get out of it," but she chose to do what she originally committed to. She said, "Mom, it's a no-brainer... those kids with cancer that I already committed to need me to do what I said I would do." I was so proud.

Now, I know that it sounds like I am bragging on Bekah, (which I guess I am), but I am equally bragging on Jimmy and the lessons that he is teaching our kids. I am thankful for him.

I really said all of that to say this... we are called to serve. When we thinking of "service" or "community service" we often think that it has to be hard- but it doesn't have to be. We think of raking leaves, or cutting down trees, pulling weeds, or working at a soup kitchen. But service can be so much more than that. Service can be babysitting, a hug, working a charity event, being in a play that benefits those with disabilities, singing in funeral, making a meal, talking with someone who needs a friend.... etc. You get the point. Service can be anything! It doesn't always have to be dirty or gross, or even hard. Just find something that you are good at, and that you enjoy, and use it for God's glory by finding a way to serve others with it.

We will always have opportunities for service. I hope we will all keep our eyes open for opportunities to serve. Thanks Jimmy for the lesson, and Bekah for the example!

When Graphic Artists Get Bored

I think I would enjoy being a graphic artist if I got to do stuff like this all day!

A Lesson to be Learned...

Many of you know that I have an aquaintence who recently suffered a complete spinal cord injury. As a result, he is paralyzed from the chest down. After his intensive care stay and spinal fusion he made a statement to his family and friends as he was transferred to rehab. This is paraphrased, but basically this is what he said:

God has a plan, and I don't understand it, but there is a lesson to be learned here. God got my attention and now I need to listen carefully to what He has to say.

Jesse continued with therapy and after about 10 weeks, he was released to go home. Slowly, his spirits started to fade and he became depressed. He still believes that God has a plan, but now his emotional reaction to his loss has taken over his mood. He wants to know what God wants him to learn. He is mad and sad, and hates the idea that others have to help him now, after being independant for so long. He has started questioning God as to why God had to let this happen in order for him to learn whatever lesson it is that he is supposed to be learning.

The more and more I have thought about Jesse and his struggles, and the more and more I have talked with him, the more and more a new way of thinking has made itself known to me.

What if- what if God isn't trying to use his accident to teach Jesse a lesson at all? Maybe if there is in fact a lesson to be learned, it isn't for Jesse. Maybe it is for his family, his friends, his church, or his community? What if the lesson to be learned is a lesson of service? What if it is a lesson about acceptance, flexibility or disarming discrimination? Is it possible that God is using Jesse's accident as an opportunity to teach Jesse's family what true service and committment really look like? This is just a theory of course, it's just a different way to look at it...

When bad things happen, we want to find a reason for what has happened and Jesse feels like he needs a reason to move on. I suppose it is human to think that when anything happens that it surely has to be "all about me," but the reality is that God uses our lives in so many ways that we don't usually think about.

I think Jesse is right... I think that there is a lesson to be learned because of this tragedy- I am just not sure that it is his lesson to learn.

Muffins

This is so stupid... it is funny... anyone else think it is funny?

Working at the YMCA

Today, both of our girls started working at the YMCA! Bekah is working with the theatre day camp, and Jennifer is working with "Mommy Mondays" and Kid Zone. Both girls are really excited and had a great first day. The YMCA is a great place to work, and we are serious when we say that we are committed to building strong kids, strong families and strong communities- and think starting with our own families is a good way to do it.

I am so thrilled that our girls have the opportunity to experience and teach the core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility by working at the Y this summer!

Random pics.

I was looking through pictures today, and I ran across several that made me smile as I looked remembered when they were taken. Each has a story of its own, but I won't bore the world with all of the details! As I looked through the pics, I was reminded of just how blessed I am.






I love my girls so much- they are awesome- I am so blessed. Can anyone guess where these crazy pictures were taken?

Enough already!

Thanks to all who have sent me emails about my ticket... but the truth is- I CAN PAY THE TICKET- NO PROBLEM! I was just kidding when I said that anyone who wanted to make a donation could email me.

You all are so sweet- but really- we can handle it!

Love you all!

Forever

We live in a world where marriage is so easy to get rid of. We have a fight- we can get a divorce. If a spouse cheats, we can get a divorce. If we have a disagreement we can get a divorce. You don't make enough money, you gain 10 pounds, you go bald, you lose your job, you ask the wrong question, sneeze the wrong way, or wear the wrong outfit- YOU CAN GET A DIVORCE... it is that simple. It is sad... but true!

Sixty years ago today, my grandparents got married. 60 years! They both have passed from this life, and yet their dedication and committment to marriage live on. Things weren't always easy for grandpa and grandma... they raised 5 kids in a 2 bedroom home, and were happy with what they had. They worked through the death of 2 grandchildren, the divorce of all 5 of their children, and living on one salary for the duration of their marriage. Grandma and Grandpa believed that marriage was forever- they believed that it was sacred, godly, and holy.

In a world where marriage is so disposable, I am so thankful that I had grandma and grandpa's example, (and other mentors too), who have shown that God's way truly is the best way for marriage... forever.

Happy 60th Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa! I love and miss you!

BUSTED!

So, after work tonight, I had a quick errand to run over in Webster Groves. I delivered an envelope that needed to be delivered, and headed home. Well, I was talking to Jennifer (who spent a good part of the day with me) and my cell phone rang. It was Jason. So, I was talking with him too, and quite frankly wasn't paying much attention. (BAD CONNI!) That's okay, someone else was paying attention for me! It was Mr. Webster Groves police officer. He was a nice man, in a nice car, who wrote me a nice ticket for going 38 in a 25. GEESH! Well, it was my own fault.

Lesson for today... If you speed and get caught you will get a ticket... if you speed and get caught and don't have your insurance card on you, you better be a sweet talker. (Which apparently I am!) But... regardless, unless you are really, really lucky, you are going to be out about 75 bucks! Bummer... I got busted!

To those who regularly drive the streets of Webster, you can thank me for making my contribution to the regular maintenance and upkeep of the roads.

SLOW DOWN!

(anyone who wants to make a donation to the "pay Conni's ticket fund" please email me!"

We Remember

Happy Memorial Day. May we never forget the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom.

God bless the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and those who are currently serving. My prayer is that not one more life is lost in war. Bring our troops home safely.

Now that was cool!

We have just returned from Bekah's show, and it was great, and fun, and well... interesting. Bekah did a great job playing the Narrator and the Rabbi in her show. It was really fun to watch. Her narrator role was very Twilight Zone like, and she did a great job holding the audience's attention with the opening monologue. She also did a great job as the Rabbi, which was actually quite funny to see. She was able to show her acting skills as she was sarcastic and straight forward to the other characters, and as she died on stage. GREAT JOB BEKAH! WHOO HOO!

Now she is very tired, and hungry...and very happy that she had such a great opportunity with another professional theatre company!

We are so proud of her!

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!