Appreciation and Thanks!

Jim and I want to express our deepest thanks to all of you for your prayers, and assistance with Beth and Lil while we were in Springfield. It really is a stressful time, and we truly appreciate everyone for their support. Jim's surgery went well, somewhat longer than expected, because the doctor did more than anticipated. Although, there is lots of pain now; so our activities are on hold. Please keep our family in your prayers.

The End of Summer... And, more...

School starts on Thursday, and Beth and Lill are all set. Supplies, clothes, etc. have been taken care of and now all that is to be done is get to classes on time! That will be a real internal clock change in this household.

Jim also has his surgery on Thursday. It was rescheduled from the 14th because we forgot his x-ray films. Getting too forgetful. It was a long trip for nothing. You can be sure we won't forget them this time!

I'm working on jewelry designs again. Guess it's mostly therapy. There's not much opportunity to sell around here. Maybe I'll start a web site...who knows? See some of my samples...


We'll follow-up next week with news about all the above. Happy Labor Day everyone!

Some Summer Projects

Supporting pet rescurers...

Take a look at this new Web site that includes "clothes" for your pet! I've been working on it with the woman whom we got Isabelle from over a year ago.

Go to http://doggiecloset.site.with.us/home and check it out!

Kids Scrapbooking...

It all started with Beth and Lil...then, their three friends got into it with them. Such fun! Although, our family albums look like they have large missing holes in them. And, the digital camera has been busy, busy, busy. Good project...keeps hands and minds occupied.

Sports Camp Starts Tomorrow!

The End of Summer is Approaching Fast!

Well, as usual plans change. Because Beth and Lil missed the Water Park at Six Flags, they've opted to go to Holiday World/Surfin' Safaari in Southern Indiana instead of going to Chicago before school starts. (See where we're going: http://www.holidayworld.com/.)

The girls school registration is August 10-11. Then, school starts on August 24 here...early!

Jim has spine surgery in Springfield scheduled on August 14. A dear friend from Steeleville will be staying in the house during that week to be with Beth and Lil, and of course, to be sure the animals are well taken care of.

Next week, the girls are off to the Christian Athletes Day Camp for three days. Last year both of them earned performance medals. This year they are participating in soccer, volleyball and cheerleading. (For more info, go to http://www.sifca.org/.)

All that activity will make Holiday World a welcome treat. There are sure to be lots of pictures on our upcoming posts.

Right now, the girls have revived their passion for Pokemon Trading Cards. It's hard to believe that there's such an obsession over these things. Besides having the entire den floor covered in cards, our watching list (not to mention the bidding list!) on eBay is jammed with them. The only thing I won't allow is anyone to place a bid, unless I do it for them. We're already getting carried away. It probably won't break us, though...at $.01 to $.50 each, their allowances handle most of the choices.

Gotta go...everyone is clammoring to get on the computer. Guess we've finally reached the stage where another computer is warranted.

Just a Few Photos...

Not too many pictures from Six Flags:

The Fountain.

Bethany ready to go shopping.


Lilly disappointed that the Water Park closed...soothing herself with an ice cream cone...what a look!

Lilly's cat, Callie, snoozing the day away.


Max the Eagle getting his daily neck rub... enjoy!

Catching up on our summer activities....

Hi everyone! We are about half way through our many-event planned summer vacation. So far we've managed to stay pretty close to the original schedule. Here's a recap of our activities for your information and interest:

BETHANY'S BIRTHDAY
We started out celebrating Beth's 12th birthday at Ultimate Gymnastics with several friends - both kids and adults. It was a blast. Although, Beth sprained her ankle on the trampoline. It didn't dampen her spirits though. She loved the party, gifts and just having all her friends and family around. She has especially appreciated getting belated gifts from distant relatives - Great Grandparents Holland, Grandma Nancy, and Aunt Kristin.

LILLY'S BIRTHDAY
After camping a few times earlier in the spring, having a surprise camping birthday party for Lilly seemed to be a good idea. Well, it was, except for the surprise rain shower, the surprise massive bug bites, the surprise police raid of some other campers... Overall, Lilly's 11th birthday celebration was fun and a great time was had by all kids and adults who joined us at the Crab Orchard Campgrounds. She too has especially appreciated getting belated gifts from distant relatives - Great Grandparents Holland, Grandma Nancy, and Aunt Kristin.

JIM AND MARI'S 30TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
What more can be said...30 years. We made it this far, there's no turning back now! As we've been remembering the years, there are many of them we can't recall. What is crystal clear, our love has never wavered. In spite of all our tests and tragedies, we've worked together. There was no special celebration; although it would have been nice to have had a family reunion; but, we did have a nice dinner with Beth and Lill reminiscing about the last 10 years or so.

SIX FLAGS - ST. LOUIS
July 4th offered us the opportunity to get some fantastic discount tickets which we took advantage of to take the family to Six Flags. Unfortunately, we arrived so late that the Water Park was closing. We spent time window shopping and snacking...not much else. Thank goodness the tickets weren't full price. The fireworks weren't even a "blast."

HEARTLAND BAHA'I SUMMER SCHOOL
Following Six Flags, we went directly to Springfield, IL to attend the Heartland Baha'i Summer School. This year, we also managed the Bookstore. The girls met some old and new friends, as did we. We agreed that we're getting too old to be the entrepreneur-types anymore. Yet, it was fun...for a while.

Now, we're home getting ready for the next event on the summer schedule...which is the girls attending a 3-day Christian Sports Academy Camp; then they're off to a Cardinal's baseball game; we're off to Chicago in early August; then Jim has spinal surgery; and finally, we expect to go to the Greenlake Baha'i Conference in Greenlake, WI. Once summer is over and the girls are in the 6th and 7th grades, Jim and I will be taking a hiatus for a while. (Ya, right!)

Happy, Happy Fathers' Day...just a few days late!

TO ALL THE FATHERS 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...Jim, Safa, Alan, Greg, Don, Roger, George; then there's Scott, Marcus, Nick, Herman, Gabe, John, Brian, Dave and several other distant ones beyond the realm of this communication link.

Happy (belated) Father's Day to each of you!

More Birthday Celebrations, Camping, Swimming!

LILLY TURNED 11!

Unbelievable...she said when she woke up on June 17! Lilly actually feels a year older, as she told everyone at her camping, picnic, swimming, birthday party at Crab Orchard Lake. It was supposed to be a surprise, but she got wind of it. Our friend Jessica made the best ever strawberry shortcake birthday cake decorated like the American Flag...because Lilly's favorite songs are the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful.

Our friends and families came to enjoy the swimming and fishing. Even Dr. Nick bought a fishing pole and was determined to catch the biggest fish in the lake! Juliana, Gabi and Diego went swimming with Beth and Lilly for the first time in a lake instead of a pool. The BBQ was interrupted by a 15 minute rain shower that forced us to take shelter in our cars and cover the food. But, no one was willing to throw in the towel, so when the drops lightened, we just continued on under the umbrellas and shortly after, under the sun again. Even Baby Gabe loved the party, rain and all!


Beth and Lil spent the evening swimming and having a ball...see photos below.

Unfortunately, we all paid for the experience the next day with all the bug bites. Even the spray didn't seem to help. Everyone here tells us it was chiggers(!!?!!??), tics, mosquitos, and who knows what else. All I know is we're still itching!

THANKS TO GREAT GRANDMA AND GRANDPA HOLLAND!

A couple of days before Lilly's birthday, a package came in the mail for both Beth and Lil. The girls were surprised and happy to get presents from their great grandparents in Michigan. See the collage pictures below of each girl with their gifts. You'll notice how the early morning mail can wake up two girls before they are really ready to face the day!!!

SUPER THANKS TO AUNT KRISTIN!

Both girls received online gift certificates from their Aunt Kristin for Fat Brain Toys. Can't imagine who ever thought up that name! Anyway, both girls are sure taking their time searching for what they want to use their gift money on. Whether it will be a perfume making kit or some scientific experiment, they are sure to enjoy it. They feel so empowered just being able to "shop" online by themselves!

That's it for now...we're getting ready for Heartland Baha'i Summer School, and then off to Six Flags in St. Louis after that. In the meantime, I'm having some spinal injections that will hopefully help my back "aches", and Jim continues having various procedures treating his glaucoma. Aging is the pits; but, the girls keep us young at heart. As Jody says, "life is good." I'm trying to adopt her outlook on life.

Later....

Birthdays, Picnics, and More are Planned, Too!

Lilly's 11th Birthday
It's only a couple of weeks between Beth and Lil's birthdays, but it seems much closer than that. Here we are planning a surprise party for Lilly for this coming weekend. Watch next week for the recap on that. Since it's a surprise, I won't say anymore now.

Race Unity Picnic

After planning for months, we finally held a successful (without rain) Race Unity picnic on Sunday, June 11, in Carbondale. With lots of food, kids games, music and just plain talk, it was an afternoon that truly was the "human family reunion" it was meant to be. After running ads in the newspaper, having a full page feature article of coverage and TV interviews on site, it turned out to be a very successful public event proclaiming race unity for the Baha'is of Southern Illinois.

Bethany's 12th Birthday
Do you remember you're 12th birthday? I'm sure Beth won't! She sprained her ankle jumping on the trampoline. Her party was at Ultimate Gymnastics and everyone had a blast. Such a blast that our resident doctor in training friend Nick had to manipulate Beth's foot and put ice on it to get her through the afternoon. It didn't dampen her spirits though...she made it through the cake, ice cream, and of course, presents! Oh yes, and that little spanking and pinch, too.

Our Summer Begins!

This weekend really is the beginning of our summer. Bethany decided to delay celebrating her birthday until the weekend when "everyone" could come to her self-planned party. It's to be at a gymnastics center. How fun??? Anyway, her party is the kick-off to our jam-packed summer of running all over the midwest for the next two and a half months. We had hoped to make a trip back to California, but health issues and that old never-ending problem of money kept hindering our exhuberant plans. So, instead, we have several short trips planned including...

Lilly's 11th birthday celebration in Paducah, KY, Baha'i Summer School in Springfield followed up right away by going to Six Flags in St. Louis, then later camping on Lake Carlyle, a few weeks later spending a week in Chicago, then several other shorter camping trips, and to top off our summer...we'll be going to the Baha'i Conference in Greenlake, WI this year.

But first, we'll be celebrating Race Unity Day with our Baha'i Community in Southern Illinois on June 11 at a park in Carbondale where we've invited everyone. Flyers are posted all over towns around here; the Interfaith Council is supporting the event, we have live entertainment performing, our ads are set to run and we even have t-shirts printing. So, if you're anywhere near us on that date, come on over, hot dogs are on the grill!

A couple of other summer activities the girls will be involved in this summer are: Lilly is taking horsebackriding lessons at the Southern Illinois Equestrian Center. It is a week long camp sponsored by John A Logan College. She is so excited. It was one of her dreams when we moved here to get her own horse. This is on that path. Beth will be taking tennis lessons at So. IL Univ. on Saturdays for eight weeks. She started lessons before we left California, and is anxious to pick them up again.

Looks like our summer should zip on by...but then, like everything else in life, it could change...just like that! Check back, if for no other reason than to see if we can keep on track!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COUSIN RAZI!"

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...