Wonderful Christmas Day

It was a wonderful Christmas Day with family. We went over to my brother's house and opened presents, played Mexican Train and ate deep fried turkey. It was a very relaxing day.

The girls seemed to enjoy their gifts. Emily got two pandas, a telescopy, a panda calendar, loads of clothes and a camelback backpack. Erin got two giraffes, a MP3 player (she calls and ipod), a giraffe calendar, loads of clothes and a camelback backpack.

It's so nice seeing pure joy and love and happiness on my children's faces. You don't always get to see it and to experience it is just so rejuvenating. It tells you that your doing alright raising them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!!!!

Christ was born on Christmas Day and came into the world to be my saviour and yours! I know I haven't been in the spirit of the season but God is good and has a way of changing me when I least expect it. It's not because my shopping is done or that I've been spending some great time with my "sisters" and their family, but He gave me something that I have been searching for the past 17 years now. A pleasant, warm family holiday with my husband's family.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've loved them since we were dating and they have always loved me and welcomed me to the famiy but we all know that each family unit is unique and does things differently and it is hard to join any's family. Marty and his sister are 5 years apart and different as night and day and we just have never been very socialable, but I so enjoyed spending last night in her presence and it makes me sick thinking of the past missed oppurtunities. We have all changed as we have grown and had families and I think that it has finally reached us all at the same time that we are family and special to each other. Watching Emily and Erin play with Sorcha was so beautiful. Hearing them make her laugh and share with her was a true joy.

I know that Christ was working here. I can't explain it but it's something I know.

And I'd like to show you the very special necklaces Anna made each of us and the craftmanship and thought she put in them is awesome.



I pray that each of you have a very Merry CHRISTmas and that you tell each and every member of your family how important that they are no matter what differences you have.

Just can't

I've been trying to get in the Christmas spirit and I just can't seem to find it. We didn't get the tree until Saturday and didn't put it in the house until Sunday. It finally got decorated on Tuesday. That's is about the extent of my decorating. I just haven't done it. My shopping is in the same state of not done. I've got nothing, NOTHING, for either girl and have just today purchase a present each for my sisters in Florida. I still have two brother-in-laws, one nephew and one niece in Florida to purchase for before I can mail their gifts.

I have made some small purchases but nothing is striking me as "the" gift to give. I love giving. I so want to purchase a gift for absolutely everyone I know and for ever child of my dearest friends. Well, so much for that this time. I just can't.

I'm not normally a "I can't" person. I'm normally a think positive it will work person, but something just isn't there this time.

This is really sad to me too. Christmas is about God's perfect gift to us and about family and love and hope and good cheer. It's not suppose to be stress and I don't a have time. My sisters aren't coming "home" this Christmas and there have been no special plans made with our parents. While my friends are taking trips to visit relatives, we've got no "family" plans. Now why is that? My mom and brother live just down the road as does Marty's mom and dad yet there has been no talk of being together. Maybe this is why I'm not in any rush to celebrate which is a terrible reason because then my girls are missing out on the joy and warmth that I always remembered from my childhood.

I'm not depressed guys, just random thoughts as I'm home alone while Marty is doing inventory. Now you see why he doesn't leave me alone with my own brain very often.

Emily is in "Faith Finders" at church and much to her dad's and my surprise, she read the reading for the lighting of the advent candle this past Sunday. We didn't know that the class was doing this and I just happened to luck into having my camera there. She is such a great reader and she did an outstanding job.

This coming Sunday the girls will be singing during the worship service. The children who wish to sing, will sing "Jesus, Born on this Day" and "Joy to the World". It should be very beautiful. So if you're able and would like to hear them then come this Sunday at 10:30 am.

Well, time for bed

Christmas Survey

I was tagged by my good friend Tiffany who is the main reason why I blog and who has the most reason to be sore at me for not doing it lately. (This is her hint to do it. THANKS Tiff.)
On with the survey...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? both but I really perfer wrapping
2. Real or artificial tree? REAL. I do not do fake trees. I can't... I married Clark Griswald.
3. When do you put up the tree? The first Saturday in December
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Eve or Day
5. Do you like eggnog? No
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My guitar that I got in third grade because my third grade teacher played one and she was my favorite teacher.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? 4 or 5 of them.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My mom
9. Easiest person to buy for? My children
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't remember so it must not be too bad?
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail but I'm usually late
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoon Christmas Vacation and Charlie Brown Christmas
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? November
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom's fudge
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored
17. Favorite Christmas Song? Go Tell It on the Mountain song by Garth Brooks, anything from Tran-siberian Orchestra or Go Fish's Snow album
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Well can't you
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Tinkerbell
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning except for our Christmas PJs that we get every year.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Nothing
23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme? No
24. What do/did you leave for Santa? Cookies and milk

Memphis Zoo Snooze

Have you ever spent the night in the Zoo? We have. Our troop went over to Memphis Saturday afternoon and spent the night learning different thing about animals. We were given personal visits with a hen named Kellogg, an iguana named Indy, a rat named Louise, an American Thestral named Nina and yest a ball python named Monty. If you know me at all then you know there is no love connection between me and snakes and usually I'm not in the same county (if I can manage it) much less the same room where one is not behind glass but actually being touched by girls that are in my care. Well, I made a deal with my girls that if every single one of them (23 in all) and every single parent that accompanied us (9) would touch Monty, then I would also. I just knew I would have at least one person hold out. Well as you can see from the below picture, I was betrayed. I had to touch a snake. No it did not feel like I thought it one and no I do not have plans to do that again. I did it for my girls and my girls only. No one can say that I transferred my fears to my children.

The next morning we were served a light breakfast and then lead on a personal tour before the zoo opened to the public. This is an awesome experience and one I never forget.

4-H Camp

Well, my baby is growing up.

Today the 4th graders head to 4-H camp for an overnight learning experience. Since I'm the girl scout leader and the children's minister, I always go with my girls on their trips but this is a no parent trip and it's weird being on this end of it. This trip is the highlight of the 4th grade. All the kids in all the low grades talk about getting to go when they are in 4th grade and Em has been looking forward to it.

We packed her bag last night and I called her dad on my way to work just to double check that she had everything before they left for day care. (Marty takes them because I'm already gone.) The 4-H center is a really cool place though. It was built back when I was actually in 4-H in the early 80's. I was one of the first 4-H kids to actually "camp" there. It's more like a hotel then camp though because they have dorm rooms not cabins or tents to sleep in. It is a beautiful facility that has a large lake, swimming pool, tennis courts, ropes course and many other activities. I actually went on my Emmaus walk there. They are suppose to do some canoeing and the ropes course and several other enjoyable activities. I'm very excited for her but will miss her tonight. It is so weird to not be going.

Lord, watch over my baby and keep her safe.

Exciting Weekend

Wow! What a fun weekend we had. Saturday evening my junior troop got together for our annual pumpkin carving. It is so much fun to watch the girls as they clean out their pumpkins and then to start work creating their master piece. Most of these girls started this when they were in second grade. As they have grown their skills have grown and we had some very awesome pumpkins this year.

Troop 130 Pumpkins

Then there was the first annual Christ UMC Trunk n Treat. What an amazing turn out! I had my concerns but of course God took care of all of it. We had 8 trunks and 8 activities, plus music, a space walk and hot dogs with chips and drinks. They counted 170 people at 6:00 pm. There is no telling how many people went through total. I can't wait to plan next years event. Course I have to get through Christmas, Easter and VBS first.

Jonah and the Big Fish

Me and my buddy

Thank you Lord for all the blessing in my life

Nothing Exciting

We'll I just read my friend Tiffany's blog and I just don't know what I have to share that is as exciting as her experiences right now. Yeah Tiffany!! I'm living vicariously through you, girl. Make sure we're enjoying every minute of life.

No, seriously, we all have wonderful lives but it just seems like I don't having anything different to say.

This past weekend we took the Girl Scouts on an overnight camping trip at Petit Jean Mountain. I had two girls that had never slept in a tent and two moms with little camping experience. We really had a good weekend. I love camping in October. The weather was beautiful and the girls had great time. At least that was what they told me.

Also this past weekend Kristi and I went to our rehearsal/training for working the next Noahs of Ark Walk to Emmaus. We were so excited that when we got back we were able to get two people to also go on the walk as pilgrims. One was a lady that I have been praying would go since my walk 2 years ago. God is good all the time! I can't take pictures of the walk because it isn't allowed but I will write what I can. Please pray for the pilgrims of Walk 131 starting Thursday at 6:00 pm until Sunday at 5:00 pm.

For those that know that I love math, here is an email that a dear friend just sent me and instead of just forwarding it, I thought I'd post it here.


Beauty of Math!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
1111 1 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...101%

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D 12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude willGet you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

DeColores

Happy Late Birthday, Tiffany

Okay we know that we are late but on Tuesday (your birthday) each one of us had a sick child so we are just now getting to have our margarita in your honor. We love you and miss you. Hope to hear from you soon.

Trust me when I say we did your birthday up right last night!!!!!

Never play mexican train dominoes while drinking margaritas.

Sick Children

It's day 3 at home with my sick child. Em came home Monday from school with a fever and looking very much unlike her lively self. She was crying and just so upset. I can't stand to see my kids feeling this bad. For the last two days we have been fighting this temp that has gotten as low as 99.8 and as high as 104.2. You can easily tell when it has risen because she just looks lifeless and just wants to be under the covers. She isn't reading and is really watching very little tv. NOT my healthy child at all.

We went to the doctor on Tuesday and she has an ear infection and red throat. So she is on antibotics but it isn't working yet. Let's pray that she will be well soon and can go back to work and I can go back to work.

Tag your it

Okay I've been tagged by Tiffany because I've been to lazy to update my blog.
Tiff, I do this for you!!!!

Two names you go by:
1. Charolette
2. Jo
Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Shorts
2. Jesus rainbow t-shirt
Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Hiking
2. Scrapbooking
Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. A well child
2. A hair color and style
Two favorite pets you have had/have:
1. Scout (our lab)
2. Honey (the sweetest but stand-off cat)
Two people who will fill this out:
1. Good questions?????
2. ???????
Two things you ate today:
1. Fiber one bar
2. Just got up so nothing else yet
Two people you last talked to:
1. Marty
2. Krisit (last night)
Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. Going back to work (fingers crossed)
2. Field survey
Two longest car rides:
1. Arkansas to Melbourne, Florida
2. Akransas to Lubbock, Texas
Two favorite holidays:
1. Halloween
2. Christmas
Two favorite beverages:
1. Diet Coke with Lime
2. Margarita (cheers Tiff!)

Really Good Day

Yesterday was a really good day and it was even a Monday.

I was up on time and out the door on time so there was no rushing to beat the clock. Instead a did something that I've rarely done and that was to turn off my radio and pray. I prayed from my house all the way to work which is about 28 miles or 30 minutes. It was just right to start out my day like that. I believe that it helped me stay calm and focused yesterday.

Well, work went smoothly, I got something accomplished, I recorded all my food intake, I got to go walk for 15 brisk minutes at lunch, and I got to have a wonderful afternoon with my family. Marty had gone to school with the girls for Emily's birthday and so he was home at 3:30 with the girls and we had all evening together.

I cooked salmon and rice which both of my children ate some of and that was really really good. The dishes got done and all the home work was done. We did discover that we are going to need to get more computers in my house. We do have two but one is being rebuilt by a friend at the moment (no pressure but could use it back). Emily had a research project to work on and Erin accesses her Math book that way. She really loves math and looks forward to having work to do on the computer in her Math book. Well that meant that I didn't do anything on it (which really was a bad thing) but I could have balanced the checkbook or did some church planning or some scout planning.

I have been told before that when we put God first and start our day with Him that all things will fall into their appropriate places and yesterday was a wonderful example of it. I am going to try this on a daily bases, so, yes, I started to day with prayer and today is progressing just as nicely. Priority is a hard thing to do but all things are possible with God.

General thoughts

I guess I haven't been posting as much lately because school has started back. It's not really that we have had that many activities it just processing all that is going on.

The girls are loving school and their teachers. I'm so glad they have who they have. You might remember I posted that I was concerned but I'm quickly getting over that. They have very little homework and all their papers have been 100's or 90's.

Emily says her teacher is very funny and puts a lot of science into the classroom. She does great with science so the combination is great. Erin's teacher seams to be more math oriented and that is Erin's subject. She is all about the numbers. Well she likes bugs too. It is so cool to hear my girls talk about habitats and environments and sedimentary/metemorphic/igeneous rock types and species of trees when we are out on hikes or just around the yard. I don't think I learned these type of things until 8th grade earth science. School is way cooler then when we were in it.

That is one of the great wonders of being a parent, rediscovering the world as your children learn it.

Labor Day Weekend

What a fabulous weekend!!!! We had a great family weekend.

Saturday we got up and went down to the river trail and road bikes for 5 miles round trip. Then we came home changed and headed to a friends house to enjoy their pool for an hour or two. We came home and Marty grilled pork chops and then we set around and played Skip Bo for the evening.

Sunday we got up and went to church and then came home and loaded our GPS for an afternoon of Cabot geocaching. We haven't cached in a year and just had to get the new ones that have popped up so close to home. We finished with another evening of Skip Bo.

Today we got up and packed for a morning at Pinnacle Mountain. We started on the west end of the base trail and walked it's 1.5 mile to the East Summit trail head. We then took the East Summit trail up to the top of the mountain, where we rest for a bit before we took the West Summit trail back down. While on the way up, Grandma called and we invited her and Pop to come out to meet us for lunch at the bottom. We were almost down when Erin almost stepped on this guy.

She loves bugs so I took this picture so she could draw him and tell about him in her nature journal. We then proceeded on down and was almost down when Erin took a tumble. She skint her knees and bruised both of her palms. She was a trooper and through some tears she walked on down. We cleaned her up and ate lunch with Grandma and Pop. Then the girls talked us into take a walk on the King Fishers trail. There we found the following critters to look at:

It was a very nice walk around.

We finished the afternoon off back in our friends pool and then dinner at Chili's. What fun to spend time with your family.

God never gives you more than you can bear.

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, after the rain .... Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall, But God's always ready, To answer your call ... He knows every heartache, sees every tear, A word from His lips, can calm every fear ... Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, in dawn's early light ... The Savior is waiting, somewhere above, To give you His grace, and send you His love .. Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, "God always sends rainbows .... after the rain ... "

To get out of difficulty, one must usually go through it! God never gives you more than you can bear – so bear it willingly and you will rejoice in your rewards!

School has started

Well, yesterday was the first day of school.

Here are the girls just before we leave the house. Erin is starting 2nd grade and Emily is in 4th. They are both very good students and are very excited about getting back to schedule.

Erin's teacher was very welcoming and warm which really made for a great start.

Emily has the new teacher who happens to male. She is very focused on the fact that he is male and was a little apperhensive about him.

I picked them up instead of them riding the bus home (upon their request) and was glad to hear that they both had a very good day. Em says that her teacher is funny but very strict. We'll see how this will work for her. I'm sure she will be fine.

Scouts also started last night. Wow are we going to have a full year. I have 12 Junior scouts and Cris has 12 Brownie scouts. We will be having lots of wild times together learning about being women in today's world.

The juniors got to pick our troop crest last night. By votes, they picked the Unicorn crest to represent us with it standing for our Friendship, our Adaptability and our Creativity.

What if I stumble????

Thursday, September 27, 2005, I left for a 72 hour spirtual retreat that, at the time I didn't know it, would change me forever. I was excited and scared all at once about going. This was something I had never done before and I was doing it alone. There were 5 other women from my church going but I had never taken any religious class or activity before without Marty. He wasn't even allowed to go with me to drop me off.

On the drive out, my fear rose and by time the sponsors from our church had left, I was in near panic mode. Friday, I walked around in a haze trying to figure out why I was there but actually started settling down. I talked with the ladies from my church and made some friends that I didn't expect to make. On Saturday morning, I received the answer to why I was suppose to be there. God's grace came so hard to my heart that I'm still in awe of the power of Him. Knelt at a foot the cross I laid down my pride, my selfishness, and my selfpity and I picked up my cross and have been carrying it every since.

Until this Saturday and then Sunday...............I stumbled and then fell. The pain in my heart is so heavy. I'm confused and bruised. I'm human and I'm subject to all human conditions. God knows I've experienced most all of them at some point. God's grace is so devine and I know that when I asked His forgiveness it was unconditional given to me but the feeling of letting Him down is so strong. Letting anyone down or being anyone elses stumbling block is something that truly weighs on my heart.

With being the Interim Children's Minister for the church, the very thought of the possiblity of causing someone to turn from God because I stumbled or fell due to my humanist causes me to be so ill. I know there is only one perfect Christian and none of us will ever compare to His glory, but ...............

I can't find the words, yet I can hear some of my friends as they will read this. "Don't be so hard on yourself." "You have to forgive yourself as God has forgiven you." "We all suffer from human errors." I know. Just hitting earth after being among Angels since October 1, 2005 can really hurt.

God, I'm listening. I don't know what your telling me but I'm trying to listen.


DeColores





What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

Father please forgive me for I cannot compose
The fear that lives within me or the rate at which it grows.
If struggle has a purpose on the narrow road you've carved
Why do I dread my trespasses will it leave a deadly scar?


DC Talk's - What if I stumble - from the Jesus Freak album

The count down has begun.

In 9 days Marty and I start back Disciple. We will be doing IV this time and have been doing Disciple Bible study four years. This will be 5.

In 10 days the girls start back to school. Emily has a male teacher and Erin has a teacher that moved from K to 2nd grade this year.

In 10 days Girl Scouts start back on regular meetings.

In 12 days our Wednesday night cell group starts back meeting every week at our house.

In 24 days Emily starts piano lessons back.

I could go on and on. We schedule everything, can you tell. I'm a very structured individual but even this gets to me sometimes.

I am excited about all of these starting back though. I may be a nerd but I love planning and since I'm the scout leader and the children's ministry, I'm always planning something. We have a very exciting new year in scouts since Emily moved up to Juniors. There is so many activities and badges and things to learn. I've got so much planned for them that I don't know how they will find time for school.

Then there is the new program that we are starting for the 4th through 6th graders in Sunday School. We're starting a new group called Faith Finders and have the really cool curriculum that even has it's own website that the kids have access to. They give us the feed back on it as to what they want us to teach each week and they do the choosing of the games they do, so that they get a hand in their activities. The ones that I have talked to are very excited about it.

Lots of different great things and then a few sad.

We have our going away/back to school scout party tomorrow. It will be Alexis' last event with us. She and her mom are so cool (check out her blog). Alexis is one of Emily's best friends and Tiffany is quickly becoming one of my very close friends too. It's great but now we are gonna have to communicate via our blogs because she will be in Japan. I'm very excited for them and am actually very envious too. I'm not really a mover type person but I'd love to see other parts of the world and learn different cultures. I just do it through my military friends. I told Tiffany that Alexis is gonna have to get a webcam so she can still attend our meetings. I've already sent her an invitation to our private troop blog so she can still communicate with the girls. Another thing that is wonderful about Tiffany that we are going to miss is she knows all of the Camp Story Girl Scout songs and she has been our teacher. So the webcam will have to serve two purposes, to keep Alexis connect and so Tiffany can still teach us music.

I'll try to get a picture of Tiffany and Alexis tomorrow at the party.

August already

I can't believe that it is August already. Scouts, School and Small Group are starting back and I just can't see where the time is going to come from. We stay too busy these days. I'm always feeling somewhat rushed. I love all that I do I just wish I had more oppurtunity to do it. Thers'e only one activity on my plate that I'd like to give up and I can't because it's the one that pays the bills.

Work is not what it use to be. It use to be interesting and busy and changing. Now it's slow, stressful and full of politics. I don't like politics.

Well, I know I have to make the lemonade out of lemons so I won't complain. I have job with great benefits and when we do have funding it is rewarding. I just have to make it through these slow periods I guess.

There are so many topics talk about some days and others I've got nothing. Today I could change subjects over and over. I could talk about scouts and how excited I am about this coming year. I could talk about the girls going back to school and how excited I am for Emily and concerned I am over Erin. I could talk about Children's Ministry at our church and how I'm looking for servants to help out in all departments. I could talk about starting our cell group back and that I'm not ready because my house is a disaster. I could talk about the walk that is coming this weekend and how excited I am for the women who are going. I could talk about my friend who might be going on one of the next women's walk in Oct or Nov. I could talk about how I wish more of my friends would blog and that it actually flustrates me that they don't. I could talk about the dear friend who is moving in a week to Japan and I'm going to miss.

Pick a topic. Any topic. I've don't know which to discuss. Maybe it isn't my life that is busy but just my brain with too many thoughts.

Family time

We've been having a very full summer and not much family only time so last night after SLUFY we went and had a dinner at Applebee's and planned to come home and have a family tv night. Well the best laid plans were not last night. Instead we came home to find this:

Meet Snowbell or Snowball. The girls had her named in about 10 minutes but keep going back and forth on which of these two names they like. If you were the "wonderful, thoughtful" person that left this precious gift on our doorstep, Mommy and Daddy would like to meet you so we can personally.... ahhh.... "thank you". She is a very sweet kitten and we're not sure what we're going to do with her. At the moment she resides mostly in the wash house with some trips into the big house. Mom isn't sure if the itchy eyes and sneezing last night are from her or being on the floor on the carpet. If they are because of snow then other arrangement might for sure be in the future.

Another part of our family time was getting up today and going biking. Daddy packed the truck yesterday so we could get an early start today but we were alll so tired that we sleep late. That's okay, we still made it to the county farm out by Maumelle Park and went for about a 5 mile ride. We found a new part of the trail that they've constructed and rode it.

It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed having time together. We ate lunch at Maumell Park after the ride and just enjoyed the day. It was hot but the breeze from the river was really nice.
Then in the afternoon we went to the Launius' house and swam in the pool for a while. It was really nice to cool off and relax. Now were going to watch Mary Poppins before we go to bed. Family is a wonderful thing to have.