Bethany is 12 Years Old!!!

It's official! Twelve years old and counting to the teen age years only one year away! Unbelievable! This picture says it all. There will be many more after her celebration this coming weekend. Check back then.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BETHANY!

Another Week of Eventful Happenings...

School is almost over for this year!

Lilly and all the fifth graders from her school took a field trip to St. Louis and had a day of fun! Several of the kids, including Lilly, overcame their fear of heights when they rode to the top of the Arch in seats of five to view ... people on the ground that looked like toothpicks ... according to Lilly.

After their lunch and shopping in the gift store, they took a ride on a river boat that was the most fun thing ever, again as reported by Lilly. The busses left at 8:15 AM and returned at 6:20 PM, so it was a long day, but one they will remember for years to come.

It did top the trip they had the day before when they toured the middle school. Next year is sixth grade where they are no longer boxed up in a single room any longer. That seemed to be the most exciting aspect to Lil. Just to be able to move from one room to another has her anxiously waiting for the next two and a half months to zoom by.

The day following their big trip out of state to the Arch, they participated in the General John A Logan Days by touring the Museum right here in town, and playing games that were popular in the 1800's. Now they have three days of school left.

Here's Beth's last days' schedule:

Monday is off to the Youth Rec Center here in town for the first half of the day, then to Dairy Queen for a snack, then on the bus to Carbondale for a big lunch at The Great Wall Chinese Buffet with all the Sixth Graders.
Their big field trip was spent at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Recreation Center last week. She got to go swimming among other activities. Her track team had a pizza party where she got her "Letter M" on Friday. Once she figured out what she was supposed to do with it, she decided to save it.

So, both girls will officially be out of school by the end of day Wednesday. Now, we have to be ready for the next couple of months of activities. Guess we'll hit the road.

Special note: Happy 12th Anniversary to Safa and Kristin!

Happy Mother's Day!

TO ALL THE MOTHERS RELATED OR IN SOME WAY CONNECTED TO MY FAMILY ~ BOTH NEAR AND FAR:

I'll list everyone randomly...not by age, importance, or anything like that...

Kristin, Kelly, Jody, Bert, Mary Beth, Nancy, Jan, Jean, Julie, Ruth, Jeanne; then there's Denise, Erin, Leanne, Debbie, Jennifer, Lyn, Jessica, Jann, Elaine, Gabe, Delores, Kathy, Christina, Me, and several other distant ones beyond the realm of this communication link.

Happy Mother's Day to each of you!

Traveling the Back Roads of Southern Illinois

Well, it's been a week of riding the two-lane back roads of Southern Illinois for Jim and me. We took a two-day trip to Springfield on Wednesday and Thursday. Because the trip is long and we get bored quickly, we decided to go different ways up and back. Coming back was the fourth time making the trip in all and seemed to be the most straight shot...don't know why we didn't know about it first! Anyway, I think we've seen everything we've ever wanted to see from trailer houses to sprouting corn fields. The best thing was discovering Lake Carlyle and its ammenities; and Chatham and it's hidden bead shop. It inspired me to start making some jewelry again...just as a hobby this time. Wish we'd taken some pictures. Springfield and the capital grounds are beautiful. Guess I'll do that during the week in June when we're there for Jim's surgery.

Oh, yes. Jim is having disc surgery on his neck. June 5th is the date. Prayers would be nice. For more info, e-mail us and we'll have details. Better yet, give us a call. 618-214-8610. That's it for now.

Oopps...girls....they're anxiously awaiting end of school. Lilly says next week is going to be super busy for her. She has a field trip to St. Louis. Wow! The class is going to the Arch and also on a boat ride on the Mississippi. (What a field trip!) Beth is spending a day at the Science Center at So. Illinois University. Both are so excited to have advanced to the next grade...6th and 7th. We can't believe it either. Growing up so fast!!! School's out May 24th.

Camping Again...More Fish...A Friend Joins the Girls this Time

We learned our lesson. No more canopies. We got a tent. It is the perfect solution! The girls love it, and they can have their friends join them whenever they want. Which they did, in fact.

Bailey joined them this last weekend. It was the first time she had ever camped in her life. It was also the first time she ever caught a fish! Three of them, too. Although, she swore never to touch them or the bait. Lilly had to take care of that for her.

We got there Friday night late and were putting up the tent at 11 PM in the dark. Fun! Lilly and Bailey did most of it. Then they hand pumped the mattress! I think they were up most of the night watching DVDs. But, they still were up at 6 AM .... right ... FISHING!!!

Things don't always go right with the lines and the fishing rods. Sometimes the fish eat the hooks. And, sometimes the lines get into real messes. Jim and Isabelle spent the better part of Saturday afternoon trying to resurect Lilly's pole with no luck. Belle gave up sooner then Jim...her interest was in the bait bucket.

Jim got the BBQing down this time...even though it was on a dinky little make-believe tinny so-called BBQ. Even Isabelle got her share (Lilly made sure of that!).

So, we'll continue our newfound hobby...camping in the 21st century. Microwaves, DVDs, who knows what's next. Check back...

Closing out the first week of May 2006...

The sun has finally shown its face! We (or I should say Beth, who wanted to earn money) mowed the very overgrown lawn, and the animals are happy to be back out "springing" around again. It certainly has been a wet time around here. I never knew it was so rainy in Southern Illinois. And, noisy, too! Thunder, that is.

Also, we seem to be constantly under tornado watch. As we wrote to relatives earlier this year, here's our lame storm plan: Bethany thinks we will be sucked up to heaven with every weather report! Her emergency plan is that we all huddle in our closet, since it is central in the house. She has a flashlight, blanket and pillows, even snacks in a box...ready and waiting!

Lilly could care less. She sleeps through it all. The cats hide under Lilly's bed, and the dog is in the back porch whining through it all. I love the sound of it, and Jim snores away. So, I'd say we're coping.

Back to the week that just was...

Lilly finished her young author's book on the Life of Betsy Ross. It's amazing how the Internet sure has become a part of elementary school work now-a-days. Wish it had been around 40+ years ago!!! Wouldn't have hurt to have had a grandma around to help a little, too...hmmm.

The fifth grade class is having their annual one mile run today, so Lilly is all decked out with her running shoes, shorts, etc., etc., etc. The reward is a pizza picnic at a park for lunch. Let's see...healthy running and exercise, not so healthy pizza...am I missing something here? She was so excited, can't wait to hear about the outcome. At least the sun is out and there are no tornado warnings today...yet.

Yup...it's camping again this weekend! We've added a tent. The girls wanted to try it out. It'll only be for one night and hopefully with no rain. Watch for the update next week.

Beth's First Track Meet

Can you remember your first sports event in middle school? Were you this focused? Or, was it just nerves? Probably. Anyway...Beth finally made the cut and headed off to her first ever track meet in Sparta, IL a few weeks ago (April, '06). With bag packed (snacks, iPod, Gatorade...all things necessary for the run!) and peer support, not to mention grandparents, who drove the hour and a half to sit on the metal bleachers for three hours to watch in tornado warning weather.... Anyway! All was set for a great race.

First...Coach Molly gave the girls team last minute instructions. Beth sat high up to be sure not to miss a thing. Then there were the warm ups. Gotta be sure those muscles are loose so there would be no cramping! But wait! The field is dirt...the team is used to a paved track. Now everyone was worried about slipping. Well...just do your best, Coach Molly said.

Ready, set, GO! Well...she did it!

Of course, this was only the practice run. Her's really was the 100 relay. Unfortunately, those images couldn't be taken because the race didn't happen! The team missed the call! Can you believe it??? Honestly!

Anyway, at her next meet, she did run; and, inspite of her school always winning (cause they are SOOO good) her relay race didn't. But, she had a great time! Especially on the bus ride.

See you all next time.

A real fish story!

This has to be the best photo to start our first attempt at a BLOG! Bethany's first ever fish that she has caught! Lilly was so determined to let it go that she was the one to take the hook out and throw it back in the water. By the end of the weekend Beth had caught 6 fish and Lilly had caught 2. Both girls were so excited and can't wait to go fishing again. I guess this is the new hobby for the summer.

Special thanks to Scott Martin for loaning us the fishing poles just to see if it would be a fun thing to do and worth the investment to get the gear.

Guess we know now what is on the list for upcoming birthdays!

We also took along our dog Isabelle who absolutely loved the outdoors. Although, I'm not sure which aroma was least desirable...the fish or her after the rain!

The sound of the rain at night out camping sure is better than any sleeping pill. Of course, crickets, snoring, and pure exhaustion from all that fresh air helps, too!













Crab Orchard Lake, IL (Pictures taken by Bethany and Mari)