3 Years OR 1 of 6

Hey y'all,

Can you believe as of last Friday I've been at my "new" job for 3 years? Man, it feels like I just started driving for LD a couple of months ago. It's unbelieveable how time FLIES! Dude - it has gotten on a rocket ship recently! :)

Well, I have really enjoyed having a regular partner and a regular run. I tell ya, that makes all the difference. I know where all the drops are and places to eat and go potty. That info sure help to make a run easier.

Here's to another wonderful year of work! :)

In other news...

Last week Doreen had 3 exams at school. One of them was pretty tough. Only 6 Dental Hygiene students of 16 passed. Thankfully, Doreen - my beautifully brilliant wife was one of them. It IS truly amazing how good she does at keeping up with things at home, church, Adventurers and add school on top of all of it.

Another month and then she'll have one semester to go!

Fireside Sabbath Entrance

Last night the four of us brought in Sabbath but sitting around the fire. What a pleasant time that was!

The quirky thing about this situation was, we've had that portable fire pit for a couple of years and just hadn't used it yet. We INTENDED to, but hadn't.








So tonight after supper Doreen was going to have girls get ready for bed - but we talked and the four of us went out and built the inaugural fire in that pit this evening and enjoyed it immensely.

Here's Joelle making marshmallow taffy!









It was a very cool evening and Joelle, Natalie and Mocha ran wild in the yard for a bit - we still had some good quality time just enjoying each other's company and toasting marshmallow and trying to make Marshmallow taffy like my sis Cindi did for us when we were on our CO vacation a while back.

What a great way to bring in the Sabbath. I'm still enjoying the smell of smoke on my t-shirt! Hummmmmmmmm!

Happy Sabbath all!

Thankful for Plumbing Problems

Today I re-plumbed under our kitchen sink. The family who live here before us put in a garbage disposal. The only little problem with that is that we're on a septic system. I don't want to plug that thing up! Plus - the disposal has been dead for 6 or 8 months now.

I hadn't done anything about it - but when I was on the phone with Doreen the other night, she told me that the right sink in the kitchen was draining extremely slowly.

It was time. This morning, sorry I forgot to grab a pic - I cleaned the cabinet out and started tearing it all apart and got the disposal out. We ran some errands this afternoon, including a stop at a do it yourself place for some new pipes.

I got home, put one in and realized I needed to run back to the store for another pipe to be able to finish assembly. Got back and whipped it all together. It's nice to have that thing gone!

I'm very "thankful" for the plumbing problems though, cuz as I was working, I was thinking how grateful I am to be able to have regular schedule at work so now I know when I'm going to be home and what kind of time I have available to complete a project.

Not real thankful for actual plumbing problems, but thankful to know that God is leading in our lives and to be patient and wait for Him and how much better things will be in the end!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Bread Finished

Yesterday morning we got the bread down we'd mixed together and preheated the oven and set it to bake. Remember, we'd gotten this recipie through cousin Laura Marie who picked it up from youtube. It is super simple to make and actually tastes pretty good.









Here are my girls holding the final product. Natalie likes it plain or dipped in tomato soup, Joelle likes it with butter & jelly, Doreen likes it with butter and honey and I like it all those ways and probably even more! :)

The only thing a challenge with this bread is the crust is super hard. Maybe we ought not bake it quite as long. The inside is perfect though. Yummy!

Mid Term Report - Fall 2008

Doreen got to go to the kids Parent/Teacher Conferences on Tuesday to see how our little girls are doing in school.

First up was Joelle, in every catagory of the cirriculum is proficient at grade level. I am SO very happy to see that. I love a report like that. Her teacher went on to say that she excells at having an obedient spirit and displays a positive attitude. My precious little girl. A comment the teacher wrote in is, "Joelle is more focused this year and is so pleasant and caring." Awwww - that just makes my heart melt!

Next up was Natalie's report. In most every catagory the teacher marked that she is independently achieving her objectives with a couple marked that she is progressing toward achieveing her objectives and skills. The teacher then wrote, "Natalie makes teaching fun! I love trying to challenge her, but sometimes she doesn't seem up to it. She's exceptional in all areas and such a sweet heart." That is my Natalie.

I am so relieved that my girls are doing so well in school. They have been enjoying their week off, yet they can't wait to get back. The love to learn and their friends and the whole school experience!

Awesome!

Catchin Up

Just trying to catch up on some misc photos of stuff going on in our lives!

Here are my girls and me relaxin on Sabbath afternoon at a friends house.









This week is the girl's fall break from school. So Monday night they had a movie night where they got to stay up late with the big people watchin the Parent Trap - the original one. I guess Joelle really got a kick out of it and the adults loved to laugh at Joelle laughing. Natalie just loved the girls in it.







My little pirate, with her do-rag she's been wearing constantly lately, is showing some of her abilities. She made this pyramid out of legos all by herself. It is actually very well done!


















Since the girls had today off and so did I, after the kids we were watching left, we started a project. I saw a post from Doreen's cousin-in-law on how to make super simple bread. So we made some. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out after we bake it tomorrow!








All Natalie's mixing is flour, water, salt and yeast.












For years my grandma, Bubbie, has been sending boxes full of clothes for the girls. We call them, "Bubbie Boxes." We have always appreciate them and enjoy some of the stuff out of them. Recently I got an idea to send her a Granddaughter box. We're sending a couple of boxes of her favorite Little Debbies and some cards the girls created and this pic of the girls - growing up SO very fast - in some of the very dresses she sent. Aren't they so precious?!!!!










Today we went to a park to play and Jannah, Joelle & Natalie got a big spin on the tire. What fun!

Pickup truck problems

Last week the engine in our pickup truck had a wicked knock in it. I figured it might be a problem with the oil pump or something wrong with the top half of the motor. It had me freaked out.

So we had it looked at today and all it turned out to be was the surpentine belt tensioner (and a new belt) and a drive belt idler pulley.

GLAD to have it back and running properly.

Wheew - I feel like we dodged a bullet!

Hate it when vehicles break down!

Fallin the Smokies

Found this beautiful tree recently. It's a sign, that fall is pretty much here. I loved it cuz the bottom part is green and the top is flaming red. AWESOME! It's kind of a toss up between Spring and Fall of which season I enjoy more, I just know I love both of them.

Right now though, seein' that tree, Fall is my fav.

Have an Awesome Autumn!!! :)

FORE...

Did something today I haven't had time to do in almost two years. I played golf at a little par 3 golf course I found recently. Tell ya about findin' it in a sec.









Here, I'm'a plannin on wackin that little white ball pretty hard in a sec... right in to that group of trees on the left you see there! Waaa ha, ha, ha, ha! Man, I had a FUN time. Gotta go do that again soon!









Had to take this pic. I really like being near the Smoky Mountains. (That is if I can't be near the Rocky Mountains!!!) It was still pretty early in the morning and the "smoke/clouds" were still hanging low over the mountains. NICE!!!

About finding this course. I've tried a couple of times to try and find a par 3 course - cuz they are just so fun to play. The only one around, according to a friend, closed up years ago, so I quit looking. Last Friday I had to go out to our freinds place to help put up some tents for the Adventurer campout. On the way up, I was gonna take the interstate, but couldn't cuz of a HUGE semi-truck accident. So I took a frontage road trying to get there another way and missed a turn. I ended up 14 miles away from where I needed to be. Along the way however, I happened to see a sign for this golf course. Dude, I was stoked and took the first opportunity I had to go play it! What an awesome mistake!

Adventurer Campout

This weekend, Doreen and the girls went to the Adventurer campout. They had a ball. Here's Natalie drinking some warm hot chocolate on a chilly Sunday morning.









Saturday night the kids played capture the flag and Joelle was stoked cuz she grabbed the flag the first time they played. Good for her! That is a ball to be the one who actually gets the flag and makes it back to your team's side!







Joelle this campout also learned to roast the perfect marshmallow. Before this she would just burn them. Eewwww! At the campout she roasted about 6 perfectly golden marshmallows in a row and shared them with everyone.

I Love my girls!!!

Deja Vu to 1977 - Gas Shortage

Here in SE Tennessee and N Georgia, we've had a bit of a shortage of gas since Hurricane Ike hit the coast of Texas shutting down the refineries.

It was kinda erie, a couple of weeks ago I was actually in Atlanta, GA on a trip for work and had to go to 3 different suburbs - practically every gas station had bags over the handles of their pumps to show they were closed. Some stations were completely closed and some still kept the convenience stores open. Still, it was weird.

Last Friday, we had someplace to be and decided to get gas on the way to it, we left home about 4pm. The first gas station we tried was closed, no gas. The second one we looked at only had the 'low grade' fuel. So we stopped in their - even though it was a nut-house and filled up.

We drove by 2 other stations along our journey and they were both closed, another was still open but with quite a wait to get to a pump. Wild - cuz it took me back to 1977, when we were visiting my grandparents in Maryland. I remember sitting in a long line, that extended out to the road with my Papaw as we waited to get gas.

All that made me thankful for the practial theory my father taught me. "It costs the same to run on the top half of a gas tank as it does the bottom half." So we rarely let a gas tank get below half way. It has served us well over the years and even more so now since gas has been not the easiest thing to obtain as of late! :)

Thanks Pop! Never even thought that would come in as handy as it has. We've had friends running from station to station around on E trying to find some gas. Ewww! I don't like that thought at all!

Well - it should be interesting as we get closer to the time of the end to see how things transpire as the world grows older, worse and more sinful!

This is just a taste I believe.

A Taste of the Life to Come?

Looking through some old photos, I found this one. In 1973, when I was 3, we were visiting family in Texas I believe. I got a chance to climb up into my Uncle Maurice's truck, who was working for McKee deliverin' Amercia's Number 1 snack cakes.












Who would have guessed that 32 years later I would be driving for the same company doing the same thing. When I was three, I wanted to be an astronat or a police officer! :) My how things change. I went to school to be in radio, and did that a few years and now I drive a semi truck. The nice thing is I am content where I am! That is what is important!

I'll tell you one thing though. I am SO thankful to be driving a rig from this era. Just look at the difference! More room, more comfortable, better ride. Oh yeah!!!

The Pesters 3

Feelin' a bit nostalgic, lookin' through old photos I ran across this one of my sisters and me just after they were brought home from the hospital. We had some times when we got along great, and other times - not so good. But they're my sisters and I will always love them just like I did on this day when we were laying in the sun, just the 3 of us! :)

Parvovirus B19

The last week Natalie has had a little rash on her arms and legs. The funny thing is, it would come and go. One moment it would be really bad, the next nothing.

Well, Thur evening, it was bad. Not itchy or anything else, just a red rash.

So this morning we called her Pediatrician and took her in for a visit to see what it was and if we should be concerned. The Dr took one look at it and knew exactly what it was Parvovirus B19.

It usually starts with redness in the cheeks then may spread to arms and legs with a 'lacy, pink to dull red eruptions,' which she had. Some kids, like Natalie, have a very low grade fever at the beginning.

The funny thing is that with this virus arthritis of the joints could also occur.

So guess what Natalie and I both had/have the Parvovirus B19 bug. The nice thing is that neither of us are contagious.

It physical symptoms could be gone in days or even a couple of months.

I'm just thankful it's not anything dangerous, to us or anyone else!

Weird stuff man!! Weird!

Driver Safety Meeting Suggestion

Today I'm headed to a Driver's Safety Meeting. I'm thinkin' about suggesting they get these stickers for us to post on our trucks. He, he, he!!!

A Day with My Daughter (Youngest)

Today Natalie had a cool day at school. A local kids museum came in to put on a special day for them, talking about the body.

So I joined them as an extra set of hands to help out where ever needed. I got there early enough to have lunch with them!






After lunch we went out to recess to play - what fun. Natalie showed me she could go across these.
















After recess they started the program and one of Natalie's classmates put her insides back inside! :)
















Natalie got to practice brushing teeth, learning to do it properly.













'Course, I took a chance to mess with those huge 'dentures' myself! What a fun day!

Natalie Riding Free

Doreen has been really faithful lately trying to help Natalie learn to ride a bike without training wheels. Lately she's been close to getting it.







Well, this weekend at our church campout we took her bike and she finally got it! It was so very cute!!!

Polo

Who knew they played Polo in SE Tennessee? In fact they play just not too far from our house. Doreen and her folks went out a couple weeks ago to watch a game.







They had a lot of fun watching the horses and players hit that ball around.








They had a lot of fun stomping the divots between breaks.










Here's Larry and Natalie stomping divots together!

What an awesome experience for them!

Time Together!

Well, Doreen and I finally had some time together today. The first time in about 2 1/2 weeks. We've all been so busy lately and then I was sick last week, so I was avoiding family trying not to get 'em sick.

So, I was home today - Doreen was home today - so we made the best of it. We worked on a brochure for her class, then a flyer trying to drum up some patients. Then she made some yummy pizza and salads for lunch.

She did some more studying and I did some things I had to catch up on. Then she asked for some help. We spent about 45 minutes with me quizzing her on her study guides for a test she's got coming up tomorrow. I intended to put some of the terminology in this post - but the papers are upstairs and I'm downstairs and too lazy to go up and get them! :)

We took some time afte the kids got home to try and teach Natalie how to ride a bike - and I guess she came a close - soon we hope!

Then I got to go play some racquetball. Fun fun fun!

Turned out to be a really good day!

Diagnosis

Called my Dr's office this AM. Tired of feeling bad.

Got the answering service of course, and left a message for the Dr. on call.

He called me back 20 minutes later. Told him my symptoms.

He told me I had had a viral infection with the nice side effect of vertigo. It should go away soon and if not then their is a medication I can take and to see my Dr.

Wheew. Glad to know that - can't wait for it to go away permanently!

Helps to know what's going on though!