A happy book

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I have seen this book on several blogs and decided to check it out from the library. I now plan to buy the book so I can underline and mark it up.

I like her observations on life.

The premise of the book is the author decides to work for a year on being happier. The book is divided into 12 chapters for the 12 months of the year. She tries different resolutions each month. She quotes lots of sources and draws some interesting conclusions.

Here are a few of the notes I made as I read the book

'What you do every day is more important than what you do once in a while'

'recalling happy times helps boast happiness at the present'

'the four stages of happiness are anticipation, savor, express, and recall'

'find explanations in charity or cut people slack'

'laughing out loud means I give up my pride, my defensiveness and my self centeredness'

She included this quote from St Augustine

Tend your sick ones, O Lord Jesus Christ, rest your weary ones; bless your dying ones; soothe your suffering ones; pity your afflicted ones; shield your joyous ones and all for your love's sake.

It struck her that the joyous ones would be included in such a list as this. Her conclusion is that most folks like to take the joyous down a notch, misery loves company. She realized how much she did this. This really struck me. I tend to be on the joyous end of the spectrum and I wondered why folks sometimes seem to come after our joyfulness.

Very fascinating read.

Keith Green

">Keith Green

The Billy Goats Gruff

We live out in the country. I love all the many things we see as we travel down the byways to the big city.

On one of our main pathways, we pass a house with a large fenced in area that is home to Alfred, Betsy, C, D, and a few without names. Who are these , you ask?

They are GOATS. They belong to the man I get my firewood from. We have gotten wood from him for years and one day Kaitlin saw him out with the goats. Kaitlin and Marisa have given us the goat update since they first noticed the goats and now that we knew who owned the goats we really got an update. A few weeks ago...the mama goat looked pregnant and then they saw (the new twin goat babies) this phrase must be said in a very high pitched voice used only by girls to denote very cute usually baby things. As they drove by they would S L O W down so they see how the babies were doing. They wanted, nay begged, me to call up Mr Wendell and see if they could come visit the goats.

I called to ask and to order wood and I had to leave a message. They were very sad. I promised to call again.

Sunday night we drove home from the movies and who was in our driveway delivering wood but Mr Wendell! The girls almost got of the car before me but wanted me to ask if they could see his goats.

He was thrilled to have someone else want to see his goats. The goats aren't his but his daddy's and he died a year ago. Mr Wendell keeps them to have something his daddy loved.

In the pictures you will see Mr Wendell several times. Mr favorite is when he is playing with Alfred, the big male goat. Mr Wendell gave my folks corn to feed them. Also, notice the pile of rocks, goats love to play 'king to the mountain'. One will get up on top the others will come along and knock them off. The mama goat loved to have her picture taken. Aren't the babies cute? Please notice John and Robert in the pictures too. They would tease the girls about getting the 'goat report' but they didn't want to miss the fun. Marisa's sister, Kaelyn, enjoyed them too.

Kaitlin and Marisa can cross seeing Mr Wendell's goats up close off their bucket list now!

Trustworthy, Clean, Thrifty ...

The National Jamboree for the Boy Scouts of America will be held this year from July 26- August 4th. 45,000 to 50,000 Scouts, leaders and staff from all 50 states will be attending. It takes 45 semi trucks a day to feed all those attending.

This is the 100 Anniversary of Scouting in the USA. Lord Baden Powell began scouting in Great Britain 102 years ago.

This is the Scout Oath. It had to be altered from the Scout Oath in Great Britain where they say 'To do my duty to God and The King (or now The Queen)

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country;
To obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

There have been 16 Jamborees. The first one was in 1935 to celebrate 25 years of scouting but it had to be postponed til 1937 due to a polio outbreak. At the jambo in 1937 the opening campfire was started with flint and steel. Scouts from all 48 states brought wood for the fire. There were 27,232 scouts at that Jamboree camping on the mall in Washington, DC.

Carl went to the National Jamboree in 1969 in Idaho. He saw Neil Armstrong land on the moon from a big screen TV while there. Andrew went to the Jamboree in 1997 at Fort AP Hill where it has been held since 1981. John was able to attend in 2005 where he had his Eagle Board of Review.

I am proud of all the scouts in our family!

Birds of a feather...

We live on 2 acres in the country. Our house is on top of a ridge. My view is the middle and tops of trees. I generally feel claustrophobic when the trees are in full leaf.

I used to have a bird feeder until the squirrels decided to chew on our house in addition to the bird food. We still see looks of birds.

In our yard for the last week have been Antony and Cleopatra. That is what we have named Mr and Mrs Hawk. They live in a tree outside my bedroom window. We haven't seen a nest yet. They fly through the yard calling to each other. Their call is very high pitched and distinct.

We don't have a picture yet for several reasons. One is we are usually too stunned by their size and majestic flight to get a camera and the other is when we move to get the camera, they see us and fly away.

I think they are either Sharp-shinned Hawks or Red-shouldered Hawks.

How cool is this?

Books Books Books

So I had some over due books. It really bothered me. I do most of my librarying (is that even a word) on the computer so I don't really even talk to the librarians. I took a few books with me on our vacation and their due date was while we were gone so I just got up the day they were due and renewed them so I could finish them at my leisure.

THEY COULDN'T BE RENEWED.

I was stunned, I was now an outlaw. Did 'they' know I had the books on vacation? What if they suspended my checking out privileges? I finished the books on vacation and went to the library as soon as we got home.

I tried to act nonchalant as I went up to the circulation to confess my felony and 'they' just took my books and told me my fine.

$1.20.

Whew, I made it and I still get to check out books.

The books I took on vacation were

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. I enjoyed both of them.

The Postmistress is set in the US and London just before US involvement in WWII. I was immediately hooked and couldn't put it down.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is set in an English Village. It is about Major Pettigrew and his family and their life.

I have realized that I like book reviews that don't reveal lots about the books so that is what I do.

Here's the rest of my list:

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Sampson. I plan to reread this one.

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by McNees. I debated whether to list books that I didn't like, I decided that I would. I couldn't get over Louisa May's father.

Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin. Subject matter I couldn't get over. Didn't like the book.

Whiter than Snow by Sandra Dallas. I loved this book. It was wonderful. Very clever devise she used to tell her story.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. I really have enjoyed all this author's books and this was no exception. Wonderful book.

How to be a Baby ...by Me, the Big Sister by Sally Lloyd Jones. Marisa read this while she was babysitting for Bates and Jane. She came home and said that we have to buy this book. It is fabulous and you need to read it and give it as a gift at your next baby shower.

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen. I read this book in one day and then reread it again the next. It was a fabulous read-gripping, haunting, couldn't put it down. I cried. Anna Quindlen has experienced life and can get it down on paper.

A Thread of Sky by Deanna Fei. Great story, a bit more, shall we say, coarse language and life style, than I am used to but I enjoyed it. I do appreciate my family dynamics more after reading this.

Enjoy.

What are you reading ?

Be Careful

Wow! Read this one sitting down and then again on your knees

Five Months and a week til Christmas

Five months until THE wedding.

I can't believe how time is flying by:

Marisa has ordered the invitations- They were designed by

Ross and they are amazing,

she has ordered her Thank You Cards- they are very clever,

her gown has been altered and is now hanging in it's safe place,

my outfit is hanging in my closet and I have my date all set with the alterations lady in August,

Kaitlin's dress has been altered-very neat addition to it,

and I am supposed to have my invitation list to her by today and Marisa, I don't have it all together yet! I don't think I have ever had it all together :)

but I do have a fun blog for you to go and check out

The Wedding Photographer that Marisa picked out is Kate Botwinski. Just think in a few short months pictures of Marisa and John will be up on her blog.

Do you need a room?

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; This is from Proverbs 11:24.

I am so thankful for my home and my family and their generous spirit. When Carl invited Cara to live with us for the World Cup, no one even blinked. She moved into Kaitlin's room and fit in like she had always been a part of our family.

What fun we had! She shared in all the jokes and laughs and TV watching and movie going and eating out and laughter and ice cream eating and of course picture taking!!!

I wanted a photo shoot with all my children that were living under my roof at that time.

My girls

The whole group standing
I think this was meant to be John and Marisa but someone else got in the picture
Marisa and Robert
I have no idea and I don't think I want to know either
ah, much better
This was about the last 'good' one I got and then...
Again, I have no idea


I think this is the response when I said that this was the last picture I was going to take.Cara moved today to CO to start a new job. She will be missed, she is already missed.

After John was born my doctor suggested, nay strongly suggested, that we not have anymore children. He said that I had had so much internal damage done and that my children needed a mother more than another brother or sister. Well, that went over like a lead balloon. I probably would have been happy with three children but it needed to be me deciding not a dr suggesting. It was struggle for me for a few years and now I laugh. God has giving me more children and I didn't even have to birth them or diaper them or potty train them, I just get to love them.

I wonder who is next on the list to move into the 'Tree House in the Pines' aka our house. I can't wait to see.

do you need a laugh?

Carl and I am blest to be on the missions committee at our church. As we, as a committee, try to keep the missions conference ever in front of the congregation, we try to think up new ways. KimT came up with this new idea. I think is it a great one!

Bob and Tom were ever so happy to participate in the photo shoot.

They even got Carl to get in a few pictures
Bob made the sign. Do you get the 'plan ahead' ?Doesn't this make you want to join us at the missions conference?

Ben is with celebrating today

My friend, Ben, died two years ago today. He was 20.

Andrew sent this to me in a text shortly after he got the news of Ben's death- It is from the Shorter Catechism

The souls of believers are at their deaths made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves til the resurrection.



Andrew wrote this after the funeral

Kaitlin wrote this after the funeral

Today, Ben's cousin, Cara is living with us for a few more days. We have just been going through what we were doing two years ago today and where we were when we got the news.

Life is fleeting. God is in control and I am thankful that I know that.

Water + Family = Fun

We had a great time in Uncle Alec's pool. Below are pictures of some game that they may say is 'keep away', I would say 'drown whoever has the ball' They did have a great time with only minor injuries.







Here is a calm moment in the pool.

The Blind Mule, LA and Fun = our vacation

We had a great vacation! We met up with Carl's family in LA. That's Lower Alabama for those that don't know :) We ate, laughed, visited, swam, visited, ate, laughed, and then laughed some more.

Kaitlin and Meredith had a great visit in the hot tub and they were horrified when they found out that we could hear all they talked about!
You know you are on the Redneck Riviera when the condo you are staying in provides a shopping cart for you to use to bring up all your stuff. We stayed at Windrift and the one we had was really nice. Aunt Marian and Uncle Sherrell had a different experience. They ended up in a six bedroom/six bathroom 3 level house that was nice.
This was the scene at Aunt Marian's pool.
Grandmother took us all to Books a Million and bought us all some books. Here are John's and Robert's
Here are Carl's, Kaitlin's, Marisa's and mine. I can't locate the picture of Andrew and Taylor's but will post as soon as I do. I have everybody's pictures to look through and that is over 1000.
This is outside our condo. The workers began around 6 with the cleanup. The sand is stained. We saw about 60 folks on the beach with maybe 25 in the water the whole time we were there. It was sad and broke my heart. I wanted to sit out on a beach chair under an umbrella and go into the water whenever I wanted, I wanted to see my children in the water, I wanted to see Robert in the water- he hasn't see the beach since he was 4 but that didn't happen.
This picture was taken by our server at The Blind Mule in Mobile. We found it on the list of 100 places to eat in Alabama. As we were driving to it, I was not sure I was going to get out of the car. The speciality was shrimp and grits. They were outstanding- not creamy and with a cajun flavor. I would recommend this restaurant in the day time. It was packed when we got there and the only seats left were in the bar and you know us!
Lots of Red, White and Blue on the Fourth. Tanner took this picture of Kaitlin and Marisa on Uncle Alec's boat dock.
Meredith took some pictures of us. Our first thought was on the beach but then we decided on the boat dock. The colors below will be the colors in the wedding.
Here is the reason for the family reunion. Grandmother and five of her six children were together. There were 24 of us together. We did miss the beach but the Funroes can have fun anywhere. More pictures tomorrow

A few pictures from our trip!

Kaitlin and Marisa said that my hair looked ok so I didn't even check. Here I am trying Andrew's ice tea that had a little kick to it and I look like I am three sheets to the wind!
playing in Uncle Alec and Aunt Sonia's pool. I loved the view except when the guy came by in the American Flag throng and mooned us all.
Tessa loved the blueberry ice cream.

Grandmother and her baby!more pictures and stories to follow...I am still recovering. It was a great vacation.

It's July Fool's Day!

Six months from today will be New Year's Day.

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? I did. I just reviewed them and I've done one and started on several others and haven't touched the rest.

I have sent more cards and letters, written down books that I have read, started my 2009 scrapbook, saved stuff from 2010 for that scrapbook and started on my scripture memory.

There are about 8 others I need to work on or take them off my list.

I like to think about what we were doing 6 months ago and what I think I'll be doing in 6 months. Six months ago I watched some wonderful AUBURN football and then we went to Don and Betty's New Year's party and we ended the night seeing Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat. Six months from today I wonder what we will be doing. I'll, Lord willing, have a new daughter-in-law, so my house will be a little quieter. I hope to be watching some good football and sharing some laughs with good friends.

How about you? Did you make some resolutions? What were you doing? What do you plan to do?

Happy Middle of the Year Day!