Happy July 4th Weekend Everyone!!

Before I go offline for a few weeks, I just wanted to wish you all a wonderful July 4th weekend!!!

I hope you all get to enjoy at least one cook-out, and at least one firework display! 

There's nothing like the smell of food on the grill, and sulfur in the air!

And don't forget to give thanks for our independence!

GOD BLESS THE USA!!!

Glad Thursday!

(Isn't this a cute freebie, from Free Pretty Things For You?! There are sooo many beautiful things for blogs, scrapbooks, or whatever! Love it!!)

Today I'm glad to have a house in the country, yet close to town.

We're still able to see nature all around us, look up at the stars at night, and have a camp fire any time we'd like, while still having the luxury of knowing we're only a few miles from most anything we need.

A deer behind our house.

It's how I grew up, and I'm glad my children can experience it also.:)

What are you glad about today? Come on! Don't be shy! Pollyanna would be glad that you did!

Summer Magic

Tonight we had our nephews over to spend the night. The girls always love for them to stay over, and we like the silly times that are had by all, when they do.

We decided to go in the backyard in the evening, to catch lightning bugs. There's just something magical about the site of those beautiful, glowing lights in the summer night sky.

And the childhood memories it brings back to me! I'm instantly transported to my Grandma and Grandpa Church's front yard, running around in the night air with my cousins, laughing and having a wonderfully care-free time.

Oh, and I can't forget the glass Miracle Whip jar! At least, that's what we used. And If we didn't have that, we just used a regular old mason jar.

My husband also got out some leftover sparklers from last year, and we all had fun making magical writings in the air. And we only had one minor burn! One burn out of 6 people isn't so bad, right? ;-)

Luckily, I have an aloe plant, and all is well.:)

I love living in the country.

It was a perfect night of fireflies, bats in the sky, and the smell of sulfur.

Summertime is here again!!

New York Really IS A Hell Of A Town! (And State, For That Matter!)

I'm so happy for New York, on becoming the 6th state to support gay marriage!

This is something I feel very passionate about, and I'm hopeful that someday, all of our wonderful states will let love be love, and support it also.

I never ask anyone to stop believing what they believe in, but to just open their minds a little, and live in peace. This is such a small thing, compared to the other "world happenings".

If my gay friends want to get married, it's not affecting any one's day to day lives. Everyone can still do all the same activities they chose the day before.

Life DOES go on!!!


I most certainly do not deny what the Bible says on the matter, but that doesn't mean I don't have my questions. Trust me, I have many.


But there's a wonderful thing The Lord gave us all, and that's called Free Will. And if we aren't leading lives that are pleasing to His eyes, then that's something we will have to deal with when it's our time to go home.

I'm sure we all have a lot of questions. I know I do!!

So for now, I would just like to say, Hat's off to New York!! Thanks for letting Freedom Ring!!!

The Glad Game

One of my favorite Disney movies, is Pollyanna. The story is sweet, and it just makes me feel all warm inside. And I know it's a tad unrealistic, to believe that someone could be that positive about life, ( especially when they're accidentally given crutches, instead of a doll. Oh, and losing all feeling in their legs.) but, I think it's still a wonderful way to look at life.

Not to mention, there's an awesome Grandma on the drums! I mean, just look at her!! Rock on, Grandma!!

(I still laugh with pure joy, every time I see this part!)

I also wouldn't mind attending one of those Bazaars they had on there! Did you see the size of the cake slices they were handing out? Yes please!!

(A shame she didn't get to finish it...)

So, in honor of Pollyanna Whittier, I've decided to play "The Glad Game", and will try to do so every Thursday. 

Welcome to Glad Thursday's!!!

Today, I'm glad that I became a blogger, and can share these off the wall things with all of you, instead of writing it all down in some boring journal, that only I could enjoy. This is much more fun!!

Happy Glad Thursday, everyone!!

1st Grade, Round One.

Today's DeLorean trip is taking us to the 1984-1985 school year. I was a 1st grader at Leesburg Elementary School. This is part 2 of my flashback to school years.


After a traumatizing school year in Kindergarten, I went into first grade not knowing what to expect. I was a student in Mrs. Morrison's class, and from the beginning, found her to be a kind woman.

But because I was a little scarred from having to endure Mrs. D., I was left with a hard time finding trust. I mean, I felt safe and all, but I was always wondering if that would all change.

1st grade

I was so afraid of confrontation, that I would often pee my pants, from being too scared to ask to use the restroom. Which was sad, because like I said, I had a wonderful teacher.

Mrs. Morrison was great, but there was one little boy who saw to it, that I didn't get too comfortable in my surroundings. His name was McCray. I remember he had red hair, and teased me most everyday. And it wasn't the fun kind of teasing. He was just mean! If I failed at something, he was always there to make sure I knew it.

I'm guessing that's why I developed a nervous twitch. That, and the trauma from the year before. I began to blink my eyes closed tightly, over and over. 

Do you remember Chuck, from The Wonder Years, and how he blinked his eyes all the time? Yep, that was me in 1st grade.lol

So, you can imagine the fuel that gave McCray to make fun of me. It became so bad, that my mom took me to the eye doctor, and they gave me reading glasses which had the weakest prescription you can get, just in hopes it would make me at least believe they would cure the blinking. FYI....they didn't.

I was failing in all my subjects, and on top of it, didn't have many friends. I would cry because other than my friend Rebbeca, no one wanted to play with me at recess. When she was absent, I was lost.

I was invited to a classmate's birthday party, which did wonders for my low self esteem. And the little girl who hosted the party, was always nice to me. I really needed that, and will forever be thankful for her kindness.

Because I was so far behind the other children, the teachers decided I should repeat the first grade. I was upset, because all I could think about, was the fact that this would give kids just another reason to pick on me. Little did I know, it would be the best  thing that could happen to me. My little life was about to make a much needed turn for the better.

Finally!!!

And What Makes You So Special, Franklin?

Last week we were on vacation in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful mother and father in-law, who treat us all to an ocean front house almost every year, for the past 5 or 6 years. The time away was much needed, but was filled with some minor set backs. My youngest daughter was sick for the first half, and I came down with a head cold for the other half. At least I had the ocean to look at while I coughed up a lung, huh?

While hanging out one day, keeping my poor Holly company, the children's show, Franklin, came on Nick Jr. This brought up a topic between my sister in-law's husband and myself, that I always wondered about the show. It was good to know that someone else wondered about the same thing. So here it is.

Franklin, the high and mighty.

What makes Franklin sooo important, that he actually has a real first name? 

I mean, lets think about this for a second. His friends are just "Bear" or "Beaver" or whatever the animal ends up being. And what about the fact that all the parents are known as, "Mr. and Mrs. fill-in-the-animal name-here."  That would make Bear's full name, Bear Bear, or Snail's name, Snail Snail. And so on...

And let's not forget how we've got a whole town full of talking animals, but somehow a dog is less superior, and can't talk. Not to mention, is a pet to the talking animals. Well, run on down to the local pond, puppy pal, because I'm pretty sure it's filled with magic juice! From now on you'll be known as, Dog Dog. Only the really special animals get a real name.

I guess if I'm going to talk about Franklin, I should probably mention the other elephant in the room. And by elephant, I mean bunnies, and by bunnies, I mean Max and Ruby.

There's even a Facebook page called, Where in the H*** are Max and Ruby's Parents?!

When I first saw that on there, I was like, Yes!!! Someone else wonders about these things too!!

It just makes me crazy! And it's not just my adult mind over thinking things, because my daughter asked the same thing. And why does their Grandma act like it's no big deal? They exist, because I saw their picture on the wall! I don't know, maybe the picture is an illusion to keep the other bunnies from discovering the truth. I bet there was life insurance involved....

Ruby: "Don't these flowers look nice on mom and dad's grave, Max?"
Max:  "Flowers!!"

Maybe I over think things.....LOL