A Snowy Day Ride...

Snowy birthday tale

Emme wasn't feeling well last night...I think she smiled once.
Craig has been sick in bed for two days with flu like symtoms AND an abcess that will require a root canal...
Emily with her super-mama...
Papa and Ed...friend since they were sixteen...
Let's see Papa turned 52...that makes them "old friends" doesn't it? :O}

Ed and his wfe Charlotte...

And so...Anna and John didn't get to join because of the crazy weather! Rosie, Jeremy and the younguns were also unable to join due to the weather and road conditions...and what's even more "bumming" is Molly and Jake were suppose to be spending the night with Mimi and Papa...Megan's private jet was being waxed this weekend so she couldn't come up from Wilmington.

and the snow keeps flying...

Happy Birthday, baby!

It's Papa's 52nd birthday!!! Check out the t-shirt I had made for him...He coined that phrase recently...so I made a shirt for him! He's the coolest of cool!

It...

...was a great day for a hike!Sally Brown Nature Preserve

Frozen in Grand Central Station

Check it out:
http://www.maniacworld.com/frozen-in-grand-central-station.html
This is a prank on a "grand" scale. Over 200 people gathered at Grand Central Station in New York to pull off a 'frozen in place' act. The onlooking travelers who weren't part of the act were mystified as to what was going on.

The Many Faces of Emily B

No time to write...

Deb came for a visit this weekend...and Emme did, too. Maybe, I can write about it soon...but for now a photo:

Fun stuff...

Mrs. Who has great fun on fridays!!!

Check it out on: http://iknowwhereyoucanfindit.blogspot.com/

This is Papa's...I really like his!

Tequila and Salt

Tequila and Salt

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is

because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone,

even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever,

something good comes from it.
10 When you think the world has turned its back on you

take another look.
11 Always remember the compliments you received.

Forget about the rude remarks.

And always remember.... when life hands you Lemons, ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!

(Received this in an email and wanted to pass it on.)
It's a bit early for Tequila...but the rest is a good booster anytime of day.

If...

If you hadn't read my blog...would you have been able to tell that I am tired and frustrated?

They say,"The countenance is the portrait of the mind, the eyes are its informers."

-Marcus Tullius Cicer
Maybe, you could have...I thought I was good with at least looking positive. I will try harder to display a brighter countenance...I want to be a "little ray of sunshine", too.

Maybe, I should indulge in a crying session...like Charles Dickens says, "It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper; so cry away."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whatever...Emme B has one of the sweetest countenances...and I am just the Mimi to let you see just how sweetiepie she is. She spent the night Saturday so her Daddy and Mommy could celebrate their first year anniversary. Just a few photos here to give you an idea of how time with Emme goes. I'll let you be the judge.

Just a side note: William is 6 foot 2 inches now...at fourteen...

Emme is chatting with PapaPick up on Sunday after lunch.

Emme's Daddy is yearning to play the guitar...like his Papa...or maybe, like a rock star. :O)
Either way, Emme B is interested.
Fits and giggles for Daddy. Wake up from nap on Sunday and watching Papa strum the guitar.

Time brings roses. ---Portuguese proverb

...and so does my husband....peach are always my favorite...I'm a bit slow in getting them up on my blog since I received them on Thursday but it's never to late to share roses...

There is another Portuguese proverb: "A vida começa aos 40"

(Life begins at 40)...Unfortunately, at age 42 and 10 weeks into academy, physically,

I feel quite the opposite. I have been ill the past week, not the flu,

but might have well been. I feel like I look the worst I ever have...I feel like crap...

I do not not feel like my life is beginning...I feel like I am taking years off of my life.

“But he that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.”
---Anne Bronte

Cousins...

Molly and Jacob are here for the weekend. Emily came and spent the day with us, too. Pretty darn cool to hear Jacob reading Dr. Suess to his baby cousin...the three of them reading together...and then Molly finishing up the reading with The Nutcracker.

Emily enjoyed each one! It went on for almost an hour!

A Valuable Lesson about Discrimination

An Innovative teacher from 1968; what she teaches should be veiwed by every American. How is it that this occured when I was three years old and I am just now seeing it at 42 years of age? Gee whiz...

If you get a chance...watch the presentation at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html
It's about discrimination. It's about 45 minutes...You could watch it in segments if you don't have the time all at once. But be sure to watch each one and in order. Awesome lesson. We viewed/discussed it today in our Culture Diversity class. Created a great discussion.

After viewing I'll like to know what you think.

#1 Job is to fight crime and surpress evil, by God" --Lt. Weathers

Friday's class was about the Crimes Against Children Unit...

It's one of the units I wish to put some time into after my probation ends.

It's wrong that not all children are feed and so many go hungry.

It's wrong that not all children get to sleep comfy, snuggled in their warm beds.

It's wrong that not all children have season approperiate clothing.

It's wrong that not all children have parents that love and cherish them.

It's wrong that children all over Lexington today will physically absorb their parents anger.

It's wrong that grown ups use children to satisfy their own selfish evil desires.

It's wrong...dead wrong.

Guess who spent the night at Mimi's last night?

Aunt Ariel came over after work and provided a comfortable resting place for little Emme.

Emily woke up this morning with her usual smile...

Today marks her 2nd month.

Her t-shirt says, "If you think I am cute, you should see my Mommy."

This last photo looks like she's pointing at the rabbit...

"Check it out...a pink Harvey, what a joker."

And now I will get back to my never ending studies...I received a 75% on my last exam...I am dedicated to a better grasp of the material and I'm certain a better score will follow. I learned a vauable lesson...on the last exam...DO NOT decide the answer based on pieces of the question.

I don't have time to write but William does...

Sharing some poems that William has written this week:

Stalking true, ever silent
the darkness lurks within us all
poison deep rooted
fangs sunk in heart and mind
some try to use it to make their way ahead
but it betrays them all in the end
others ignore it, pretending it isn’t there
but it swallows them in their ignorant sleep
Then there are those who fight it
they face the unending battle
the battle never won
but though it is hard it is also worth it
for they are the ones who truly live
live like no others

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Up down left right forward back
north south east west
everything’s twisted inside
where you were going and where you’ve been
all confused and jumbled till you’re afraid to go forward
for fear of going back
your path is lost
the light at the end of the tunnel gone out
crying out for help
is that an answer or an echo?
You started out so strong and confident
storms and criticism couldn’t stop you
but now this, this inner isolation
an attack more deadly by far
if life is a journey it needs a destination
so is no destination like death?
Turmoil and emptiness, chaos and void
they combine inside to rip you apart
you lose faith in God
cause you can’t hear him calling
you stumble in the darkness
and no ground meets you
you fall for what seems an eternity
before being caught in strong arms
you find yourself further along your path
you’ve somehow made progress despite
but best of all rather than chasing the light
you’re embraced in Jesus’ strong arms

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last two he came up with by using words supplied on magnets...

Dark sky cool blue water
full moon silent whispers
imagine believe
ask to see the morning
cold winter rose
live grow sing
light day comes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She dreams of the dance by the ocean
laughing with her love
clouds and warm rain on their skin
she was happy

that summer behind
always remembering gentle music

wondering when will they have time

together again

January Tales

Maybe, you've never thought of fishing in January...but Papa does. He went yesterday (01-04)to Bark's Camp Creek with his buddy, Ed. Took a great photo that I asked his permission to post...to which he responds, "Make sure you mention it was 16 degrees."

Ice on the creek, icicles on the eaves, fish hiding in the bottom of the deepest holes.

Wish I could have been there...for the hike...the campfire...and the company...

I was with Pa on 01-05-05 (notice the similar dates, just a day difference in the same month). A very different temperature...very different results.

I love this last photo...I bet he looked the same when he was younger (without the mustache, of course) whenever he fudged something. I can see him looking at his Momma saying, "

Catching a moment...

I miss writing...I do try to catch up on the blog reading of everyone...I would say someday, everything will be normal again, but that is not true.

Read Megan's blog lately? http://meganwrites.blogspot.com

Rosie said she is getting a blog together, too...:O) I'll pass the addy on when I get it.

Here's a little song that had us laughing...wanted to share it with you. My friend Deb, sent it to me. Papa and William thought it was hilarious!