Okay, so it's been a long time since I've updated! I also just realized I begin most posts with the word, "Okay"... hmm...

Well (another word I begin with frequently...), it's been a great summer. Short, but fun. For those who don't know I resigned my beloved teaching position to stay home with Grace. Although I'm not completely unemployed. I am still on staff as Children's minister at our church. Really loving life right now. It's harder work than I thought to stay home, but it's very rewarding. :o)

So I went to Bonanza Convention. Yes, Bonanza the tv show. Yes, they have conventions. And yes, everyone was surprisingly normal (most everyone...). Okay, now I'll give you a moment to quit laughing....

Better?

ANyway, convention was a LOT of fun. Had a great time meeting people I've known for several years online. Including: Jeannie C (who you have to thank for this post!), Holliday, Cowboy Jim, Adamsdarling, Milesky, Meadow, Julee, Kemarlow, and many others. If you're wondering, yes it was hard to find each other especially since we really only knew each other's screennames!

We had a great time meeting each other and touring the Ponderosa Ranch House attraction! Good times.

Grace is doing fantastic. Her ear tube surgery went great and she hasn't had an ear infection since! In fact the day after her surgery she learned about 10 new words because she could finally hear! Now she's chattering away - all the time!

Dinner THeater season is upon us again. This year is White Christmas. I will be joining the cast as Judy Haynes, the younger sister. Practicing hard.

In other news, Salt 'n Light started back up. We now have fine arts classes for children birth through 6th grade! We had about 44 kids on Sunday! WOW!

Well, that's about all I have to say. Ya'll have a great week and thank Jeannie for getting on my case about not posting! LOL (in fact that was one of the very first things she said to me when I met her!)

Well, a lot has happened since the last post and I would be remissed to allow my 30th birthday to pass without so much as a comment about it. ;o)

Yesterday I had my birthday and mother's day all rolled into one. It was a good day. Went to church and ate dinner at Mexican Inn. mmmmm.... So far 30 feels like 29, which felt like 28.

Grace and I are both going to see an ENT. She is going to see whether she needs to have tubes put in her ears (lots of ear infections). And I am going because of a loud ringing in my ears and a thyroid problem. The doctor said he wants to make sure I don't have Miniere's Disease... I dunno. I go on Thursday. We'll see then I suppose. But we got the results back on my thyroid from the blood test and sonogram and they looked "promising". *shrug*?

Had to move Music Man Junior because of TAKS remakes. Had that date on the calendar all year... why they just realized that was a conflict is beyond me. Oh well, gives us more rehearsal time and we REALLY need more rehearsal time.

Only 18 more days of school left for me. After that I will be staying home with Grace. I'm very excited about that. I will miss teaching, but I'm going to enjoy staying home my baby way more. :o)

Well, I'm off to hang Music Man sets.

Stressful times. Church rodeo coming up. Music Man Jr. in 2 weeks (had to replace 3 lead characters last week). Junebug's sick. Lots of doctors appointments (both human and animal).

*sigh*

Hoping everything gets done and gets done well.

Christ the Lord is risen today!
Alleluia!

Happy Easter everyone. I hope ya'll have a great long weekend.

I had an epiphany this afternoon. Try to follow my thinking, disjointed as it usually is... As a Christian, I am happy and grateful that Christ loves me. Me, and insignificant pawn in the game of life. He died for me. Who am I that He would be mindful of me?

Today Grace brought home a piece of artwork (splendidly done, I might add) of three crosses pasted onto a piece of construction paper. It said, "Jesus loves me." As a parent, I am even MORE grateful, and even relieved that Christ would love my child. For him to love me is one thing, but for him to love my child seems oddly much more special to me.

End of epiphany. Now on to Easter bluebonnet pictures. Jesus loves me. Jesus loves Grace. Jesus loves you too.

Well, my baby is one now. sigh... She had a very nice party with family and friends and even had a party at her school with hats and cupcakes. It was cute. The child is in no danger of going naked anytime in the near future with the amount of clothing she got in presents.

At school, I am beginning production of Music Man Jr. with my choir. I'm already sick of it... By May I'm going to be ready to have that blasted Music Man done away with.

Toby made sweepstakes with his orchestra at UIL. Well done Toby!

There's one more school day left till Spring Break and the kids seem to be organizing a some kind of revolution... and their tactics are of the dirtiest sort - inflicting lunacy on their teachers. All bets are off. This is no longer a gentlemen's war. LOL

Actually, I think they all just have a little cabin fever since it's been unseasonably cold... and rainy. Blech.

I had my eyes checked last week and it seems that I no longer need bifocals... Odd... I've never needed a really strong prescription anyway so I always thought the bifocals were a bit much... plus I never really got used to them. So I'm happy.

Can't think of anything else. So, as my brother says:
That is all.

So my little girl is growing up. Today is her last day in the baby classroom at her school. Apparently an 11 month old who is trying to perfect her new found skill of running (more like walking really fast) poses a safety hazard to the crawling children around her...

To mark this momentous occasion, let me fill you in on some of the things a big girl knows how to do:

Walk Ride in a big girl car seat
Brush her teeth (this is SO funny to watch)
Play peek-a-boo
Take someone else's hands and force them to play peek-a-boo Blow kisses
Take someone else's hand and force them to blow kisses
Sneak out of a room when Mommy or Daddy's back is turned
Protest a meal of Vienna Sausages
Play for hours with only a dishtowel and a flower
Ride a horse with Mommy

There you have it. Things a big girl does.

Gracie will be turning the big ONE in a week and a half. Wow. That's just not possible. We will be having a cowgirl birthday for her. Can't wait to let her dig into the cake. Lots of fun.

Well, that's all. I have so much fun with each stage Grace goes through, but I wish she would stop for just a minute. I think there can't be any better time than right now. And then she learns something new and we have even more fun with her.

I can't remember life without her. And that doesn't bother me one bit.

<a href="http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2744609460039807832lfmJRg"><img src="http://thumb12.webshots.net/t/72/172/6/9/46/2744609460039807832lfmJRg_th.jpg" alt="Rachel and Junebug on Exchange Street"></a>

Me and Junebug on Exchange St. in the Ft. Worth Stockyards

<a href="http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2998633960039807832QvibPg"><img src="http://thumb12.webshots.net/t/63/563/6/33/96/2998633960039807832QvibPg_th.jpg" alt="Rachel & Junebug"></a>

On the Trinity River Trails in Ft. Worth

<a href="http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2288275690039807832kDdEIP"><img src="http://thumb12.webshots.net/t/66/566/2/75/69/2288275690039807832kDdEIP_th.jpg" alt="Sterling's here too!"></a>

Me and June… and Sterling’s ears!

<a href="http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2097408250039807832TDXECV"><img src="http://thumb12.webshots.net/t/63/563/4/8/25/2097408250039807832TDXECV_th.jpg" alt="DSCN7464"></a>

June and me.

<a href="http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2518719790039807832hfQLXC"><img src="http://thumb12.webshots.net/t/74/74/7/19/79/2518719790039807832hfQLXC_th.jpg" alt="Rachel and the Courthouse"></a>

At the beginning of the Stockshow parade, in front of the courthouse.

It's Wednesday and that means my four day weekend is over. At least the weekend is only three days away.

In other news, I rode in the stock show parade and had a blast. Junebug did great. And for once I was in the stock show parade and didn't have watch where I stepped. Amy and I plan to ride in the rodeo grand entry on Saturday so that should be fun too.

I also seem to have something along the lines of a sinus infection. And if, before I die or get better, I happen to have both money and time in the same general location I will go to the doctor. LOL

Okay, so I had some holiday gift cards to spend and decided to go shopping for some clothes this weekend - maybe pick up on a few sales. Anyway, Grace cracks me up. I can spend as much time as I want trying on clothes as long as I put her stroller in front of the mirror. It's like watching a peacock in a mirror... except she doesn't peck at the glass... at least not yet anyway... LOL

The first bell just rang so I suppose I should go fight my way to the copy machine and make copies of my Jazz music handout... again... sigh...

This has been a long week. Monday I had to rush out of work to go give Junebug a bath before the weather turned cold. Tuesday I was home with a sick Grace. Wednesday felt like Tuesday all day and today and tomorrow are both early dismissal days. Which means squirrelly kids all day. Speaking of students...

My older kids took a test on Swing Dancing and Jazz music this week. I will have you know that Swing dancing was popular in the 1980's and 1990's; Two famous jazz musicians were Neil Armstrong and Dennis Rodman; AND The American Revolution was going on during the time when swing dancing was popular. Where did I got wrong??? Wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't GIVEN them the answers last week on the study guide... Actually, most of them did very well. There was just a few...

The stock show parade is this saturday and I'm excited. I'll be riding with my friend Amy. Unfortunately we have to be out there at 6AM. Ugh...

This is a long weekend. Hallelujah. Four glorious days all to myself before I have to come back and, apparently, reteach my unit on Jazz....