Lent

Sarah decided to do a very hard thing this year for Lent. She has given up Oreos! She even put this little note on the cookie jar to remind herself. My prayer for Lent is this: Dear God! Help Sarah to find strength to give up something so dear to her. Also, please help the rest of our family to find the strength to LIVE with Sarah while she sacrifices for these 40 days. Amen!

School Bus Accident

The kids both called my yesterday morning with the news that their school bus had been in an accident. Daniel was quite dramatic, calling is a crash! He took tons of photos of it, although no photo of the front of the bus. Sarah was moderately annoyed that they were going to be late for school. She was a lot less dramatic.
Apparently, the bus driver bumped the car in front of them at a place where I have personally almost been in an accident more than once. There is limited sight distance for merging and then when you decide that you should wait, the car behind you thinks that you went forward when you didn't. Boom.

The firetrucks came.
The sheriff's department came. They needed to direct traffic as the bus was clogging a main road at rush hour.
The school district emergency people came. They needed to inspect the bus.
The fireman got on the bus to ask the kids if anyone was injured. Luckily, there were no injuries.
There were even ambulances there just in case their were injuries.
The principal from the school and some other school people arrived, as well. The district sent another bus to transport the kids on to school. Apparently, something was wrong with the bus up in the bumper area. I'm not sure if it had to do with a wheel or perhaps the safety arm was bent. The kids were not really sure. The people in the car that the bus hit were also fine. Apparently, their bumper was a bit smooshed.

Sarah is 14

Sarah is 14 now. We had the family all over on Sunday to celebrate. She requested lasagna and cookie cake. Not a bad combo.



Here is Uncle Tim sportin' a pony tail.


Daniel and Sarah posing for a birthday photo.



On Sarah's real birthday, she got a guitar from Mommy and Daddy. She is so excited!

Chili Cook Off

Today was the big day of the Chili Cook Off. Daniel and Nick cooked the chili yesterday and today they got to the church and decorated their table. There were 16 chilis there today. From banana chili, white chili, buffalo chili to beanless chili, there were many varieties represented. It was a lot of fun and there were many people there! This is the big fundraiser for the troop. Daniel personally earned $415. for his efforts.
Daniel and Nick made beanless chili.

They were pretty proud of their shrine to Tim Tebow! Yes, Tim Tebow IS a superhero!
They won the best decorated table.

Sunny Florida in January

I feel sorry for my family and friends that live up north. Florida is wonderful at this time of year. No snow, not too cold. Here are photos I just took. This is 5 p.m. on Wed., Jan. 28. Notice no snow, notice the temperature on my lanai and notice my goofy dog that will only drink water out of the pool.

Happy Mail

Over at House of Paper, I joined a Happy Mail swap. After signing up, you receive the names of four ladies that you are to make something by hand. It has to fit in a 6"x9" envelope. (I'm hoping mine fits). This is what I came up with. They are going postal this afternoon.

I found this on Susanne's blog. Thought I would give it a try.

I am going to change the color to red for everything I have done. If you want, try this on your own blog....here we go.....


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (not yet ...!) almost
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (working on it ... but I wouldn't say I'm facile yet)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt when I was about 2, don't remember it
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check NOT MY FAULT!
68. Flown in a helicopter Bill did this yesterday
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day