Awesome Time!

But I forgot my camera! Luckily husband had his...but he forgot it at Ed's house!

I'll have it back in a couple of days...and will post pics then!

Happy Labor Day! Don't work too hard!

Got Blues?

One of the classes I took while working on my Masters Degree was Improvisation. We learned about a variety of styles of music that incorporate improv in their music not only in the Euro American music but also in eastern styles. One of the music teachers were friends with a member of a group called Blind Dog Smokin'. They came into our classroom (how intimidating is it to come teach master music teachers their style?!) and played a bit. I was incredibly curious, so I went to the bar that night and heard them jam.
OMG. Best I've ever heard and I still can't hear blues without comparing them!

I invited these guys to my school and they did a fantastic job in teaching the kids the history of the blues then did a kick ass concert for them and that night for the public. Since then, I consider them my friends and I go hear them when they can.

Then the good/bad news thing happened. They hit it big and moved to LA. I haven't heard them for years. Well, a couple of weeks ago, I emailed the leader and asked if they were going to be in my area and YES!!! THis weekend! I checked out their website and found they have a couple new members.
Nevertheless, I'm sure they are still the best of the best! I can't wait to hear them tonight! I'll let ya know all about the trip!

Hope you have a good weekend!

FINALLY

I'm getting around to posting a new blog! Sorry!

School is going and going pretty darned good! Both our admin. are new, so there are lots of changes. Due to the schedule of the 7th graders, I don't have very many (37) but I do have lots of 8th graders (139!) and over 1/3 are boys, so that is AWESOME! Here is my schedule...

8:20-9:10 8th grade choir
9:15-10:05 8th grade choir
10:15-11:05 7th grade choir
11:10-12:00 8th grade choir
lunch
12:35-1:25 8th grade choir
1:30, 2:10 locker room duty, team time
2:15-3:45 prep
Today I started listening to voices and their range. Most can stay on pitch! But what got me is that I have several boys that are already in the BASS range! That is amazing!

Okay, how is everyone else doing?
Shout out to VEL and everyone keep their fingers crossed that PLINK comes home!

Some Special Words

from a special person!

"You must find sensible, spiritual secrets for valuing yourself, savor everyday experiences, meet challenges head on and foremost, find time for what is really important. All else just may fall into place..."

Powerful words...

Trying Again...

School: Kids come tuesday, have bulletin boards done, syllabus typed and ready to print out, music and folders all about ready to go.

my kids: doing pretty good. working lots. ed is working at the powerderhorn in sherican, michelle is back and starting school in a couple of weeks, miss megs is just working and working.

home: still on the market.

missing lolly: OODLES AND GOBLETS!

NOW is it better?

Of Course I'm Like A.Bananna!

You Are a Chocolate Shake

You are a total hedonist. You are drawn to pleasure. You are an expressive, over the top person. You're naturally dramatic. You're the type of person who always chooses quality over quantity. Life's too short to not have optimal experiences. You're proud of being picky.

What Flavor Shake Are You?

Is this better, Lolly?

Something to Ponder...

MONDAY, MONDAY!!

Today is my last Monday off before school starts. Teachers go back in Friday and next Monday, students begin next Tuesday. Where did the summer go?

I've been spending the last few days trying to be a support to a very dear friend whose brother is terminally ill and in his last days. Seems like only yesterday we went through this with our own mother. Peace to her and her family.

Have a good Monday.

What should I call THIS post? Lucky 13 and Things I love?

Here's a recent pic of my son, ED, outside of Wal-mart. I still always park in row 13! (learned that from Leo and Jolene!)

Gus is sitting here lusting...waiting for me to finish my pop...because he LOVES chewing bottles!

Here's little Dah Dah asking me if I want a bite of this super-duper chocolate torte cake!
My awesome newest set of Salt and Pepper shakers from Bob the Bear! (cow with milk jugs)


And this was sent to me in an email...sorta funny...sorta not...but sorta...

Has anyone been watching the Olympics?

I found some pics on the net of who I've been watching...

Our undefeated Beach Volleyball team...they said when the Olympics are over, they both will be starting a family.

Natalie Coughlin has won 6 medals, supposed to win 8, which is more than any other woman...



It's a rare occassion that 2 gymnasts from the team are good enough to go for the individual gold...but these two are! Sean on the right is just a solid rock, and Nastalia on the right is the daughter of a gold medalist, who is also both their coach!


And we all know HIS story. I saw an interview with Mark Spitz this morning...he has held the record for highest number of medals for over 30 years now and is looking forward to passing that on to Phelps.
My favorite part is watching their parents and other family members in the stadium, crying as their loved one gets a medal.

And I am rooting for lots of athletes from lots of other countries, too! I'm really not into sports THAT much, but it sure is amazing when you get to this level...

School starts next week!

From My Dear Friend, Silvia...

(Dear Readers: Please take your time and savor these words...it's worth it!)

Always Live Life to the Fullest...

Don't let go of hope; Hope gives you the strength to keep going when you feel like giving up.

Don't ever quit believing in yourself;
As long as you believe you can - you will have reason for trying.

Don't let anyone hold your happiness in their hands,
Hold it in yours so it will always be within your reach.

Don't measure success or failure by material wealth, but by how you
feel; Our feelings determine the richness of our lives.

Don't let bad moments overcome you; Be patient, and they will pass.

Don't hesitate to reach out for help; We all need it from time to time.

Don't run away from love but towards love, because it is your deepest
joy.

Don't wait for what you want to come to you.
Go after it with all that you are, knowing that life will meet you halfway.

Don't feel like you've lost when plans and dreams fall short of your hopes.
Anytime you learn something new about yourself or about life, you have progressed.

Don't do anything that takes away from your self-respect.
Feeling good about yourself is essential to feeling good about life.

Don't ever forget how to laugh, be too proud to cry,
Or too stubborn to smile.

Don't ever forget a friend who truly loves you ...as it could be that
friend who is true to your needs.

Don't ever forget who helped you grow as your need for more seeds may
often re-appear.

With all the above, live life to it's fullest...

Happy Birthday, Jolene!

I love you...

Just the way you are!

Only you can make me laugh about the most ridiculous things!


Learning from you comes easy!

Egg dying with gramma is the most special thing!

Needing your love, kindness and wisdom at all times!


Everyone loves a hug from their Aunt Jo Jo!

Always there for me!


Needing to include Chuck in every event!
Nice to just be able to visit with you!


Everyone loves to see you happy!


HAVE THE HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY, JOLENE! I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND HOPE YOUR DAY IS AS SPECIAL AS YOU ARE!

YOU ARE A GRAND DITTY!

Happy Birthday, Dear Rue Rue!

(Yes, August is LOADED with family birthdays!)

So, once upon a time, there was this really cute little girl...she was a little chunkey monkey when she was small, but she always loved her little brother!

As she got bigger, she started getting more toys and no matter what she was doing, she was DANG CUTE!
She's a special sweet one. Here is Alexa Rubye (a.bananna's daugher, Vel's granddaughter) This is Rue when I first met her and she was so full of live wire and energy! She enjoyed the wand (WHACK on my husbands face!) and the little heels I got her!

Here she is dancing on the stage with some of her friends!


This is a lovely Christmas picture...her face is that of a cherub, isn't it?

Rue enjoy's breakfast with her brother, Kash.

I think she looks a lot like her mother AND father in this picture, don't you? lol

This is the last time I saw her...a year ago we celebrated her birthday in the hospital with mom. She liked the little camera and phone her Aunt Ellie gave her!
Little Rue Rue, I have only seen you a few times, but I have enjoyed hearing all the stories about what you do from your Gramma and through your mom's blog. The hardest thing about family living so far away is missing those growing up years you are experiencing. If we lived in the same town, I would give you piano lessons! You are such a good singer and so musical...I wished I could be part of your music education.

Happy Birthday, sweety! Remember your Aunt Ellie loves you and i just want to give you kisses on your cute cheeks...REALLY HARD!

love,
Great Aunt Ellie

Happy Birthday, Grampa Harold!

Today is a very special day for all of us, it would be Grampa Harold's birthday and we would have celebrated with cake and ice cream and lots of family laughter and stories. Grampa was born in 1906 and life started out so hard for him. His father ran off with some young woman and his mom desperately tried to do all she could to raise this nice young man. When he was 11, she died of pnemonia...she didn't have a coat to wear in the winter. His sisters went to different relatives. No one would/could take him until finally his mom's brother brother did. However, his older brother treated him as a child slave, beat him if he didn't work like a man and he even had to sleep in the barn! Finally, he ran away to Colorado.

I tell you this for one reason...Grampa had all the reason in the world to not be a family man, but he was. He loved his wife, my gramma Rubye Lynetta and all his children, grand children and great grand children very much. He and gramma were married and they drove on what was not even a road to Midwest, Wyoming. Tired and hungry, grampa walked into the Exxon oil company looking for a job.

"Can ya pitch?" the boss asked.

You see, that night was a very important baseball game...Midwest vs. Casper and Midwest had never beaten Casper before!

"Yes, I can, sir!"

"You pitch tonight, we win, you're hired!"

Needless to say, grampa worked many years for the Standard Oil Company!

Here's a pic of grampa and gramma...


I'm not sure the occassion of the pic on the left, but the right side was their 50th wedding anniversary!




And sweet grampa's obituary. I really only knew grampa Harold (my dad's father) as my only grampa and he was a dang fine one at that! One more story...(and ohh, there are so many!)

When dad brought mom to their house to meet them, grampa wanted to see if mom had a sense of humor...so he stood behind the corner and kept spraying her with a squirt gun...I'm not sure what her exact reaction was, I just know grampa ended up loving my mom as his own daughter.



RIP grampa, memories of your smile and laughter are forever in my mind!

Happy Birthday, Dad and Darrel!

My dad and his twin were born August 8th, 1928. Having had twins myself, I can just imagine the handful these two were!
In school, they were involved in the "M" club for the Midwest Oilers, they played football and had a championship team!

They were also the only 2 boys in choir...who would need more than those 2 young men's voices!


They were always together until after high school, they went separate ways in the military.

I love the last pic...fishing in the boat on a lake. That's what they did best...off fishing and hunting. They were the best buddies. Darrel died in his mid 20s and my dad passed away in 1981. I didn't ever know Uncle Darrel, I just know that my dad never got over his death.

Today, they would be 80 on 08/08/08. Happy Birthday, Dad and Darrel. I love you!

Missouri River Float

Here are a couple pics of the float trip I opted NOT to go on (for various reasons).
Our giant raft looks pretty insignificant in comparison to its surroundings!

For more of Scott's pics of the trip, go HERE.

If he journals about it, I'll post that link too.

Handy Man?

Whopper Wednesday

School is just around the corner, so I guess I better start picking out music for our concerts. Our first concert is in December, so I've been listening to excerpts of Christmas music (ffs) for 35 7th graders, 135 8th graders and select swing choir. I'll also need to pick music for our Musical Revue, and the pops concert...

'Tis the Season!

E

Taco Tuesday

Husband comes home today after being gone for 5 days on a river float with his father, nephew, friend since 3rd grade and friend's 2 boys and Gus Bob. So, before he gets here, I need to clean the house, take care of the yard, pay bills, do laundry...I feel like a teenager whose parents were out of town, now I gotta get everything back to normal!

Anybody seen the movie, "Risky Business"???

A song I've been listening to lately...

Here are the words so you can read along while you listen to the song..."Black" by Pearl Jam...


Hey... oooh...
Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
Were laid spread out before me as her body once did.
All five horizons revolved around her soul
As the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn

Ooh, and all I taught her was everything
Ooh, I know she gave me all that she wore
And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything.
Oh, the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything...

I take a walk outside
I'm surrounded by some kids at play
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear?
Oh, and twisted thoughts that spin round my head
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning
How quick the sun can drop away

And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass
Of what was everything?
All the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything...

All the love gone bad turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be... yeah...
Uh huh... uh huh... ooh...

I know someday you'll have a beautiful life,
I know you'll be a sun in somebody else's sky, but why
Why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine

Aah... uuh..

Too doo doo too, too doo doo [many times until fade]


And the YouTube link just click HERE.

Monday, Monday!

Ahhh, what can I possibly write about when it's Monday? The sky is blue with no clouds, my kitties are happy and naughty and running all over the place and I need to get the house cleaned up.

YOU all have a great day and for those of you working, have a great work week. I still have 3 weeks of vacation left...:o)

Tah Tah

DILLY IS AN ARTIST TOO!

I'm honored! It doesn't get much better than this!

Fantabulous Friday!

I have no idea what I'm going to do this weekend...but it's gonna be fun! Maybe a road trip is in order! Maybe shopping! Maybe a new hairdo! Maybe stay home and enjoy the quiet peacefulness! Maybe clean my closets and under my bed! Maybe!

What are YOU going to do?




Before you run off, check out this portrait that Chuck drew for Dilly!

Here's something to watch!