Michael Jackson dead at age 50

I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. I remember so well singing along to ABC 123, I thought Michael was a a cute kid. he is only one year older than me. What a surprise to hear the news.

Two other Hollywood legends died Farrah Fawcett also died today, and Ed McMann died a few days ago. My kids were pretty clueless about all these people. Except, they did think they had heard of Michael but didn't know much about him. I remember star search, and Charlie's Angels and Thriller.

In other news we went to the relighting of the Penn theater Marquee. The new one looks pretty good. Paul and I like going there for the old movies.

We lost a good size branch in our backyard this afternoon when a sudden storm blew through.
Russell and I had to run out in the rain and take the swing off the pool cover. It blew in and it could puncture the cover. We got soaked! Luckily the storm was over quick and it cooled things off a bit.

Pool is open!

The pool is officially open today! We are late this year. Just as well as the weather has been pretty cold. Plus we had VBS, and graduation parties every weekend and scout stuff.
The water is about 76 and the heater is running. Thankfully the heat wave arrived just in time.

No news on my job. I did call yesterday and the gall that I interviewed with has been on vacation pretty much since I saw her. she will be back the end of this week. The girl I talked to yesterday said not to be concerned. I am pretty confident I have a job just waiting to see when it will start.

Lots of running around so far this summer. Lots of appointments. Ortho, Eye doctor, Chiropractor, Drivers Ed. Mom's taxi at your service.

The men will be leaving for a Scout backpacking trip this weekend. The girls and I will be helping out at our church food pantry. Nat and I have birthdays on Saturday and Sunday. She will have a pool party with her friends on Monday. I don't really do birthdays anymore. Maybe next year for the big 50 but this one is a good one to lay low.

You can't outgive God

I mentioned Natalie's acheivements to my online friends. (refundcents.com) A few ladies asked if they could send her some cards. She received 2 yesterday and one today. The card today contained 10.00. She thought it was pretty cool that strangers would send her cards.
Receiving mail is always fun when it's not bills. She also told me that she had donated 10.00 of her own money at VBS this week to help the mission School in Africa. I had no idea she had donated that much and that is just the amount that she got back today.

Mar and I will be going to the VBS fun party tonight, Nat has drivers Ed, the boys have a Scout meeting. I am looking forward to the picnic tonight but I am glad VBS is over. With all the other appointments and such this week I am tired. But we had a fun week. The kids enjoyed being helpers. Overall I think this VBS ran the smoothest I can remember.

VBS

Vacation Bible School is keeping us pretty busy. This year seems much more orginized and seems to be running smoothly. I am the leader for the 5th grade boys. We have had 4 or 5 boys per day. One of the boys is our pastors grandson. I was a bit embarresed this morning. When I got to our chairs the pastor and grandson were waiting. he told me that the other boys were teasing him the day before and calling him names. My co leader and I had seen the boys roughhousing throughout the morning, you know poking pushing wrestling. It looked like they were all joing in and laughing. The grandson never told us that there was a problem. And while we hung near them most of the time, I will admit I wasn't always withing actual earshot of them.
Anyways I talked to all the boys today and told the grandson to let us know if there is a problem. Had he told us I could have taken care of it right away. I feel it made me look like I hadn't been doing my job.


No word yet from Walmart she did say it may be a week or so. I am very impatient.

2 ortho visits this week , Good news for marlo, they can finally start putting the braces on next week. The poor thing has my small small mouth. (and all the problems I had at her age)

VBS and a possible job

I am catching up on posts because, well I don't know; I just haven't posted. No excuse I just haven't done it.

Vacation Bible School starts next week at church. I helped with the decorations on Fri. night.
Monday through Thurs. the kids and I will help. We pray the children who attend will be touched by God's grace. Our theme is African Safari


I had an interview with Walmart, I talked to three people and it sounds like I will be hired. They are in the process of hiring about 200 to 300 people because they are expanding the store to include grocery items. She did tell me it may be a week or so before they call back. It's not my dream job, but I think it will work. If I am able to get full time they do have benefits. I plan on working nights so that we can still have dinner as a family, and I can take the kids for appointments etc.


Let summer vacation begin!

Funeral

Last week one of my high school classmates passed away at the age of 49. He was our class president, and an all around nice guy. He was one of those people everyone liked. He was nice to everyone. He was very popular but he was not stuck up. I haven't kept in touch with many classmates and probably would not go to that many funerals of former classmates, but George was special.

He leaves behind his wife of 25 years and 3 children. He had a heart attack at home, which caused him to fall and hit his head. the fall caused a closed head injury. He went into a coma, and did not come out of that, they had to declare him brain dead.
A few of us that communicate on facebook got together at the funeral home and went to a classmates house after to chat. It is interesting to see how we have all changed after 30 years.

In Memory of George Katsarelas . Crestwood High School Class president 1978

The funeral home was totally filled so it is apparent the George still remained someone that everyone loved.

8th Grade graduate.

Our eldest is now offically a high school student. How does that happen? They had a great ceremony at school in the morning. We had a huge surprise. A poem Natalie had written was chosen as one of two to put in the program and the yearbook. The principal mentioned the poems right away and told everyone to look at it in the back of the program. Way to go Nat we are so proud of you.

She also received awards for partipation in Math counts, science olympiad and a few others. I think her name may have been mentioned more than an other. She had come a long way from my 3.5 pound baby who had developmental delays. She is becoming a lovely young woman.

In addition to graducation another new chapter has started in her life. Drivers training.

I think all this is harder on me than it is on her. So many changes all at once.

New Addition to our family.

We have a new family member. Bob (or Bobby) the parakeet. Mar, has wanted a pet for so long and we finally decided we are not ready for a dog. (as much as we love them) A parakeet seems like something we can handle. He seems to be adjusting well. he is chirping more each day. we let him out and he flies like a dive bomber. At first he was crashing into the walls and celing but now he seems to know the boundries a little better. No words yet apparently it takes time. some parakeets never talk.

Welcome to the family Bob!

Testing

some of my refund cents on line pals wanted a picture trail link. So I am copying the link for a test. http://www.picturetrail.com/uid12431699