Good Morning!

First I would like to let Wilma know that I am so sorry to hear about her fathers passing. You and your family are in my prayers.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Ours was so packed with festivities. Friday, I took my girls 3 years old and 1 year old to the beach because it was so hot outside. So we packed a picnic basket with our "dinner" and headed to the water. They played in the water until 8pm. I was trying not to get in there but my 1 year old kept pulling me towards the water because she wanted me to go in with her. She is so cute so I couldnt tell her no. So in I go with all of my clothes on!! Soaked head to toe. But it was alot of fun playing in the water with my girls. Then Saturday morning my son and my daughter had tap practice. Saturday afternoon was their show at the zoo. It turned out to be really nice. It was hot though (about 89 degrees)! Then off to a BBQ until around 10pm. Sunday we went to church and then to a BBQ at my dads house until about 9pm. Monday, another BBQ until about 8pm and then home to get ready for work and school today. It was a packed but fun weekend.

Sunny D - Yes, God is so good!! I have another interview today at 3pm. The one last week went very well so we will see what comes from that. God knows and we are trusting Him! I am so excited about going to Africa!! Yes, my mother and his mother are both here. I am very aprehensive about leaving my kids. Not that their dad cant take care of them, but I just have never been away from them and this is such a long time. When I think about that part of it I start to feel sick. I know they are in good hands. All of my family reside here in Washington so my DH has plenty of help and they already said they will help him as much as he needs. So that is a wonderful blessing. You watched National Treasure last week? My son and I watched it too! We loved it! I am really not into those kind of adventure movies but that one was really good!

doitforme - What a cute baby!! Oh my goodness! How blessed you and your family are to have her. And of course how blessed she is to have you all! I can tell she is about to be SPOILED!!! I am a firm believer that you cannot hold, love or spoil a child too much!! Watch out shopping malls!!!

EZ - What nice pictures. Love your garden. I have always wanted to plant some fruits or veggies. I tried when I was younger and they turned out horrible. I can keep a plant alive in my house. All fake plants are welcomed!!
So your girl Carrie made it on American Idol! I was really hoping that it would be Bo. I am not into rock and roll but I really liked his style. But Bo and Vonzell will still get recording deals I think.
Well, gotta go for now! Will check in again later!

Myisha

Great news!! I was just offered a permanent position with King County working with the at-risk youth of Seattle. This is something that I have wanted to do for years and the Lord just opened the doors for me. I just went on the interview on Thursday and was offered the position today! Now anyone who works for the State or the County knows it takes forever (at least 2-3 months) to get hired once you have gone on the interview! 3 days is unheard of! God is good!! Thank you so much for the prayers, they have been answered!!! It is also quite a bit of a pay raise as well!!

Myisha

HI GALS

Not too much time to chat right now, but I wanted to check in. Tonight is the night we are supposed to take Juan out for steaks and beers...Ryan wants to change it until tomorrow because of coaching, so he told me he would try to get ahold of Juan from school today...haven't heard yet.

AMANDA called me from Nashville a few minutes ago...she arrived at the conference safely and (as much as I am so glad her boyfriend went with her) so relieved...her professor has already contacted her to make sure she is safe and her "boss" from her honors project with the NAVY has already contacted her to make sure she is OK and invited her out to dinner with several other people from the research company...the one she will be employed with next week. She said it is HUGE and that her name is in the front of the program with her project info...I know it is a little confusing...she was sent by her college to this international conference as a reward for her honors project....her professor too...then the research company working with the NAVY is presenting her project (even though it failed!)...

SUNNY I do not watch NCIS...my buddy in Washington NEVER misses it and says it is his favorite show...for some reason Angie and I just never have...I will start watching the reruns!!! We were into LOST but missed the last 3 shows...so not sure what to do now! So cool you and Joe playing Scrabble together. We are glad to be "over" the party... a ton of work...but my kids deserved the recognition for their hard work! Thanks for the compliments on my house, we love it (other than the stairs)...it is just a simple tract house....worth close to your neices...BUT! I am sure in OHIO that you get much more for the $$$ than California! Ron already has some tomatoes growing!

SUE Well, as usual you posted to us...BUT DIDN'T tell us what you have been doing! NAw, your new neice is the LUCKY one to have you!! Reba and Rylee are locked out of the veggie area...so....as long as Ron closes the gate his veggies should be OK...but...they do want in there

MICHELE OVERCAST?...humm, well come south about 60 miles...it is gorgeous! Have a great vacation!

MYISHA Great news on the job! I watch COPS...so I KNOW that you will be busy there in King County!! Sounds like you had a great week-end! Any of the final 3 would have been fine for me on American Idol! I loved Vonzel and Carrie...each for their own individual style, I didn't like Bo..until..he sang w/o the music behind him...then I became a fan, GUTSY!

Well, Ryan just called and steaks and beers for tomorrow...so I gotta make dinner for Angie....nothing like a hungry wife hitting the door after a long day at work...

Prayers for all, WILMA ....Prayers!!

Wow, Myisha, that is awesome!!!

Congratulations, Myisha, on the job!!! God is good!

We didn't get to the mall yesterday, we decided to have a "cook-out" instead, so we went to the grocery store to buy what we needed/wanted. The girls then went shopping with Nana and the boys and I stayed home and watched Spongebob. Just another lazy day! What else do you expect during summer break?

Today I thought I'd start potty training our youngest. I've been talking about this with him for a couple weeks now and we even bought Shrek and Nemo "big boy undies" that he picked out. He is so bright and our others were so easy to train, I thought it would be a breeze with him. Well, it didn't go as well as I had hoped. He sat on the potty several times, but never went. I never managed to catch him at the right time. I know, it is only the first day, but I thought he would go at least once on the potty. Maybe tomorrow.

Oh, well, I've yacked enough. I hope everyone is doing well. Talk to y'all later!

It's another dreary day here in what is supposed to be Sunny Manitoba. It was beautiful the past couple of days but today its rainy again.

I've been laying pretty low these days. I am still trying to catch up on missed sleep from last week. It's been busy at work so the days are going by quickly for which I'm thankful.

I went shopping after work yesterday to buy casual pants for our casual Fridays at work and to my surprise I fit into a size 12. I have NEVER been a size 12 as far as I can remember. What fun!

I want to thank you all for your prayers and support. I have really felt them and needed them. I thank God for this great bunch of people.

Have a great day!

SunnyD thank you for the warm birthday wishes. Florida was great--just that my Dad has not been..He's been in and out of the hospital ever since. Between that and work I have not had the time to come and update much. Plus I haven't been as good on my diet as I should be. Even though I haven't gained, I haven't lost any either. :-/

I hope everyone is doing well here. I miss all of you!

Good Morning Everyone!

I have been trying to get our picture up so you can see my family. I finally have one but I am not sure how clear it is going to be.

Here it is. My husband is Melvin, my son Anthony (9 yrs), my daughter Niya (3 yrs) and my daughter Xea (1 yr). This is last years Easter picture. We havent ordered this years yet. So my kids are older now.

OH, MNewton, what a beautiful family!! You are gorgeous! Your DH is handsome and the kids are ADORABLE!! Thanks for sharing that!

Gary - Yes, COPS shows it all. It gets kinda wild at times around Seattle. The bad thing is that the kids are worse than the adults!! I am praying that God will use me to show them that there is something better out here and how they are living is not as good as it gets. I do believe that God has put me in this position to minister to our youth and give them a hope that they can fulfill their dreams. The good thing is that this program is strictly voluntary so the kids that I am going to be working with are looking for something more. I cant believe I missed the last show!! I heard Bo did great!! I have the same top three as you. I think they were the best.

Jackay - Sorry to hear about your dad. I am praying that he gets better. I know you are really enjoying that Florida sunshine. I wish we had some here. It is rainy and cold again!!

Michelle - Oh my goodness!! That snake is huge!! I am so afraid of snakes and just looking at that one on the screen really freaked me out! How in the world did you get so close to it? You are a brave woman!

Wilma - Congrats on the size 12!!!! Way to go!!! Keep up the great work!!

Jen1teacher - Summer break already? My son doesn't get out until June 24th! He cant wait to start the summer festivities! Potty training? How old is your youngest? I was just talking to my mom today about starting the process with mine too. I have found that each kid is different. I thought my son was going to go to high school in diapers!! It took him so long. He was 3 years old before he was completely potty trained. Then my daughter was just 25 months when she was completely potty trained. I am hoping that my youngest daughter will get it quickly too. She is 16 months and already telling me when she has gone and needs her diaper changed. My mom says that when they can tell me to change them they need to be going to the toilet!! So I am going to get some pretty undies today and see how she likes it. We got her this really cute toilet called "A Throne of Their Own". Isnt that cute?!! It is shaped like a throne and has a sensor that plays music when she goes. Boy the stuff they have for the kids today. I just got a book and some balloons when I went!! Oh well, good luck on the training!!

I'm sorry if i scared anyone with the pic, i didn't mean to. I'm not afraid of snakes really although i wasn't willing to pick it up or anything. Pretty sure it wasn't poisonous but i'll only hold them if it's someone's pet. K, have to go get ready and get on the road. My dad got some books on tape for me too, he's so sweet today....

Oh no Michelle dont be sorry. I am just a big ole baby!! Thank you so much for the compliments. I just love those kids!! The big kid too (my husband)!

Mitchy - Snakes are scary, but seeing them in pics is okay, real life is when I get freaked out! I am having to be braver since we now live in Florida and snakes seem to be everywhere, or maybe I'm just so aware of snakes being around that I notice all of them! None of my neighbors seems to worry like I do about them. I've heard several people talk about finding snakes in their houses, I think I would just move... leaving all the furniture and everything!

Myisha - What a beautiful family! Will is 2 and a half. He still hasn't gone on the potty today, but he didn't like having wet Nemo undies either! He actually hid in is closet when he wet them this afternoon, so maybe he is making progress in a small sort of way!

Yes, our summer break began Friday, but we started school Aug. 1. I think I like ending school Memorial Day weekend instead of going through the end of June even though we go back to school sooner.

I go for the thyroid scan tomorrow morning. They called to remind me (like I could forget!). The nurse said they will inject me with some type of contrast. I'm not looking forward to that, especially since my arm is already bruised from bloodwork yesterday. I honestly hope I am doing all this for nothing!