House Update

My time to be online is very short, but I had to let you all know the insurance company has accepted the contractor's bid to fix our house! Thank you for your prayers! Life in a hotel will end soon. YEAH!!!!!

Are You Honest?

Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world.- -- Thomas Carlyle

Finding a few extra moments to spend online at Starbucks, I thought I would leave a short post with a quote for your review. It seems too simple for our complex minds, but we can truly change the world one person at a time. Honesty would be the place to start. First, be honest to yourself, then be honest to your family, and be honest with the entire world. Why is honesty such a difficult thing for some people? Let me hear your take on this subject.

By the way, the big tent is up and camp is ready to begin. I will post pictures of it all when camp is over.

Work Worth Doing

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.- Theodore Roosevelt

I will be leaving for our annual trek to family camp this evening. This is the highlight of the year for my children because they get to play all day in the wonderful, cool, coastal air. Camp is held on the central California coast and it is a sweet relief from the 100+ degree days of the San Joaquin Valley. The first week at camp, there is a junior camp for children ages 7-14. During this week, my husband is in charge of setting up a tent the size of a football field where 3500 seats accommodate the crowd that arrives the second week for family camp. There is inspirational speaking, singing, food, and fellowship. The third week, it turns into Sr. Camp which is for young people ages 15-25. It is a wonderful time with hundreds of people camping on the grounds. There are tents, trailers, motorhomes, and even some million dollar rigs that fill the grounds and enjoy each other's company. I will try to take some pictures to share with you when I return. Usually, I do not have internet access, but if by chance I get to Starbucks I will check in with everybody. Otherwise, I will not be posting again until August 11.

Before I go, I wanted to leave you with the above quote for your consideration. I want to dedicate my life to work that is worth doing. I know many of you have dedicated your life to worthwhile passions. My prayer is that we achieve our goals. Blessings to you until we talk again.

Ad For Jolene

Just a quick ad - one of the girls in my church decided to try her hand at blogging. I think she is off to a fantastic start. If you have a chance, drop by and visit her at www.jolenejmendoza.blogspot.com

Age - It Happens

Since Brian's mishap, much has been said about age. In fact, I have teasingly called him a geriatric jock. Our dearest friends, Nathan and Charla Elms, have been making up "old" jokes and enjoying laughing about my husband. Brian has said he is giving up playing except for Vegas. (just kidding) Although many have said he is too old to be playing ball, I have been thinking about my view on age. Here's my philosophy - If you didn't know how old you were, how old would you be? Do we really have to have numbers? If so, I think I am only about 21. Well, in all honesty, I do have days I feel like 90. So, if you didn't know your age, what do you think it would be?

Thank You, My Wonderful Friends

To all of you who heard or read about Brian's mishap, thank you for your calls, thoughts and prayers. To those of you who may not know - Thusday evening, Brian decided to play baseball with some of the men in our church. He was running from 3rd base to home plate when he tripped and fell, fracturing the radius and ulner. Friday, he had surgery and now has two metal plates and 12 screws in his left forearm. (I posted a snapshot of the X-Ray that shows the plates and screws.) Guess that makes for alot of fun when going through airport security. :) He is now hoping for a speedy recovery. Next Sunday, we are supposed to leave for family camp and Brian always drives the motorhome. I think, I will have to see if Bryce can drive it this year. One thing for sure, it should be much cooler at camp which makes a cast much more bearable. I love all of you and feel so happy to be part of the wonderful family of God.

New Blog

This post is for the purpose of advertisement. I have recently helped the WAY Choir set-up a blog. They plan to have a weekly devotional, pictures, prayer requests, etc. If you have time, pay the blog a visit and give the kids a shout out. www.waychoir.blogspot.com

P.S. HELP!!! One of the boys posted a slideshow and all of the sidebars moved to the bottom of the page. Does anyone know enough about Blogger to help us solve this problem?

The WAY Quartet

Here is a clip taken from YouTube of the WAY Quartet performing "Beyond The Blues" in Redding, California on the WAY Choir 2007 Tour. This quartet is comprised of (from left to right) my son Bryce Allard, Lawrence Trump, Keith Smith, and Tyler Sullivan. Hopefully, someone will cough up a clip of the boys performing "Oh What A Savior." If so, I will be sure and share it with you.
DISCLAIMER: It was just brought to my attention that at the end of this video some small boxes will appear that you can click on to view other items from YouTube. I do not approve of the vulgar language used by Rosie in her conversation about Donald. My suggestion is that you refrain from clicking on any of these other links.

WAY Choir Percussionist

Jonathan, or better known as Peto, is the WAY Choir percussionist. This big, lug of a guy is an engineering student at San Jose State University and I think he is one of the sweetest guys I know. He claimed Bryn as his sweetheart this year and thoroughly enjoyed giving her plenty of attention. Standing about 6'5", Peto towers over all the others and his presence is quickly recognized. Although he is an accomplished musician, his devotion to God is even greater. Many times during the tour, you could glance over to Peto and tears would be streaming as he felt the anointing and presence of God as he was used to minister through music. Before leaving our practice room, all the choir members helped to clean the facility we were graciously allowed to use. I snapped this pic of Bryn "helping" Peto vacuum. What a team!

(You can click on the photo to get a better look. I think the reflective sign in the background caused the pic to look dark.)

WAY Choir Goober

There is always a goober in the group. (J/K, Tyler. You know I love you.) During any moment of boredom, you could find Tyler sticking his top lip above his teeth or Bryce squishing Bryn's face in to some sort of "gooberness." Hey, you like my new word? LOL Gooberness! There is always a load of it on a trip such as WAY Choir tour.

WAY Quartet

Another highlight of the WAY Choir tour, was the performance of the WAY Quartet at half-time. Ken Fitzpatrick, the director of WAY Choir, had asked Bryce if he would put together a quartet to sing during the WAY Choir tour. The quartet is comprised of my son Bryce, Tyler Sullivan of Citrus Heights, Lawrence Trump of Eureka, and Keith Smith of San Diego. All four boys have been involved in WAY Choir since its beginning about five years ago. Each night they sang the old hymn, "Oh What A Savior," and it was so dynamic people were literally pulled from their seats in praise to that wonderful Savior, Jesus. They also sang another song titled, "Beyond The Blues." This was a bluesy/jazzy song that was previously recorded by Ernie Haas and Signature Sound. Response to this quartet was so positive, that they have received invitations to sing out-of-state and also at a Camp Meeting in Santa Maria, California the first week of August. The boys have since decided they will travel to Daywind Studios in Nashville during winter break and record an entire quartet project. I probably shouldn't admit this, but I did tell the boys they surprised me because they really pulled off the quartet much better than I imagined. I hope you all have a chance to hear them soon.

WAY Choir in Eureka

During our tour, we visited the city of Eureka, California. We took a few minutes to visit a Victorian home. The choir is pictured on the steps of the Ingomar Club which is the former home of pioneer lumberman William Carson. The home was built in 1885 and is now a private club. I included a closer shot so you can see the detail in the architecture. The pink Victorian home was directly across the street. Eureka is a very unique town with very old homes and buildings. For a few brief moments, we felt as if we had stepped back in time. I could almost hear the clip-clop of a horse and buggy. The ocean was within view of this house and the cool, breezy air was refreshing. Wish I could have brought the weather back to the San Joaquin Valley of California. :)

If you are new to visiting my blog, click on the pictures to view them enlarged.

WAY Choir 2007

WAY Choir - Western All-State Youth Choir just completed a whirlwind tour of Northern California and Oregon and it was amazing. Today I am going to tell you about their performances, and the next few days I will cover some of the sights and landscapes. The choir and band met at 10 a.m. on a Monday morning and had a 10 hour rehearsal. Towards the end of that first rehearsal, the choir was practicing a praise and worship chorus that talked about the name of Jesus. A spirit of worship entered the room and for the next hour and half, the youth were intensely praying. The traveling pastor (my husband) felt he had a word from the Lord for the choir. In essence, the Word was - wherever your feet land, you will be used mightily. The next day, the choir returned for more practice and that night had their first concert at The Rock Church in Elk Grove, California. You can visit their website at http://www.therockchurch.org/ The choir sang a set of songs, took a break, and during the break a quartet sang. The quartet was comprised of my son Bryce, Tyler Sullivan of Citrus Heights, Lawrence Trump of Eureka, and Keith Smith of San Diego. They sang the old hymn, "Oh What A Savior." I must admit they did a better job then I expected. It was a beautiful rendition that was so dynamic it brought the crowd out of their seats. The choir then returned for a second set of songs. At the conclusion, the front of the auditorium filled with hundreds of young people desiring a closer relationship with the Lord. The next day, we went to Iglesia Centro Vida in Stockton, California. This is a large, bilingual congregation. The choir sang some songs in Spanish and repeated the format from the previous night. This service ended with a few baptisms and several people giving their heart to God. The hospitality of this church was awesome. They had rooms reserved at a beautiful hotel for the entire choir. The night was short, however, because the youth had to be at the bus by 5 a.m. to travel to Coos Bay, Oregon. We arrived in Coos Bay at Landmark Church just in time to set up sound, instruments, and a short sound check before service began. This was a very small church and we all felt our ministry there was the "mission" of this tour. The church had a new pastor and he was so thrilled by the response of his congregation. Many choir members wept the entire concert. Truly, it was a most touching performance. The next day we traveled to Portland, Oregon, Apostolic Worship Center. The concert in Portland was held at a large church and people came from Washington and California to be at this performance. Many people gave their hearts to God at this concert and it was a dynamic night. Unfortunately, while the choir was singing someone got in to the rooms where the choir had left their belongings and all their money was stolen. The total was over $2200 and the young people were left penniless. We felt devastated, but the youth joined together and prayed for whoever committed this crime. The next day, the director gave them enough money to eat on while we traveled to Eureka, California. We arrived in Eureka at Full Gospel Tabernacle with only 30 minutes to set up for the service. This concert began and it just seemed as though there wasn't any spirit or energy present, but it wasn't long before a wave of God's presence washed over the crowd. We were later told that more than 20 people had returned to God after being away for many years. In the middle of this service, the pastor told his congregation of the robbery in Portland and stated he wanted his church to reimburse the youth what had been stolen from them. The congregation responded and not only gave enough to restore the money the youth had lost, but also gave a very nice offering to the WAY Choir. Just amazing how God's people respond to need! The next day we traveled to Redding, California First United Pentecostal Church for the final performance of this tour. There were some technical difficulties with the sound when we first arrived, but that was quickly resolved just in time. Miracles, signs, and wonders happened at this finale. The service lasted nearly four hours and it was nothing short of miraculous. At the conclusion, a spirit of sacrificial giving swept through the building and people were bringing, shoes, ties, belts, shirts, money, etc. to the altar. There was over $10,000 cash put on the altar that night. This facility is crowded and the congregation is negotiating to gain a new place - so this offering was greatly needed. Before the choir left that night, the pastor treated everyone to dinner at a local restaurant. Everyone loaded in to the bus for the final drive back to Sacramento. We arrived in Sacramento about 1 a.m. Everyone was exhausted yet euphoric at the same time. My husband and I have traveled for many years with different groups of young people all around the world, but we both agreed we have never been with such a spiritual group of young people. Many members of the choir were used mightily by God. I don't have enough time to tell all the stories, but here's one - a choir member left the stage and walked to the back of the auditorium and layed hands on two people. The people began to pray and felt the presence of God sweep over them. We later learned that the two people had been "away" from God for more than ten years, but because of the sensitivity of this young choir member they were restored. Nearly everyday the choir would begin singing on the bus and they would end up praying, testifying, and worshipping. Even the bus driver would drive with one hand on the wheel and the other lifted toward heaven as he prayed with the young people. I must close for now because I am exhausted, but check back for more. (The pictures are: Top-the choir at The Rock Church, middle left-Anthony of Arroyo Grande, middle right-Sara of American Canyon, bottom left-Bryce and choir in Portland, bottom right-Nicole of San Bernardino.)

How To Achieve

The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are; first, hard work, second, stick-to-it-iveness, and third, common sense.- -- Thomas Edison

I am home (well, back to the hotel) and I haven't had time to download snapshots or even think about a post. So, the above quote is something to ponder until I can get my act together. The WAY Choir tour was incredible and I will tell you all about it - - - later.

Travel Lite

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.- Glenn Clark

Tonight, after our evening service, we will load ourselves into the motorhome and hit the road for the 2007 W.A.Y. Choir tour. Rehearsals begin at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning in Sacramento. This year we will have concerts in northern California and Oregon. I'm not sure how often I will have computer access, but will post if I can get online. If not, I should be back by July 2 and will then post. I really like the above quote and wanted to leave it with you for your thought consideration. Please keep the W.A.Y. Choir in your prayers. We want many people to be touched through the ministry of music.

Am I A Genius?

Genius is eternal patience.- -- Michelangelo

I think I have reached genius status if this is true! LOL On this night, our 45th night living in hotel, I am in wonder of the patience I possess. Truly, this is a most exasperating time of my life, but we are surviving. This translates into 90 nights on my husband's priority points. He has definitely reached platinum status. Bryn and Blake have decided they really like living in hotel. Bryn thinks she is Eloise at The Plaza, and Blake thinks he is Zack at the Tipton. They now have that "boss of the hotel" air about them. (Smile) The past few days have been very busy and I haven't had the opportunity to post every day. I saw this quote today and knew I had to post it. I confess, I am not genius because 45 days really isn't eternal - - - it just kinda sorta seems like it.

Little Miss Hawaiian Tropic

During this past year of kindergarten, Bryn made many friends. One of her friends, Shalynn, is the current California Little Miss Hawaiian Tropic. The last day of school they were allowed to wear Hawaiian dress instead of their uniforms. The pic is of Bryn and Shalynn. I thought you might enjoy this photo. Shalynn will be going to the national competition in September. It will be interesting to see where they will be in 15 years. Bryn loves singing, and Shalynn loves beauty pageants. Maybe you will see Shalynn on a magazine cover and hear Bryn on Christian radio. :)

Happy DAD's Day!

It is easy to be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. - unknown

My Dad walked me down the aisle at my wedding nearly 28 years ago and before giving me away, I sang a song to him titled "Daddy's Girl." Truly I was blessed to have a wonderful Dad, and even more blessed to have a wonderful dad for my children. My Daddy was always there for me regardless of the situation. If I was sad, he would hold me. If I was scared, he chased the boogieman away, and if there was a big, scary bug, he would smash it. He woke me up with tickles and a whisker scratch, then made the best breakfast in the world. He beamed with pride at any accomplishment I achieved. He was proud to be my Daddy. During my childhood, our every need was met but we did not live a life of abundance. Well, I did receive an abundance of love - just not the material "stuff." One day when I was about eight years old, my Daddy called me into the garage. He gave me a brand, new doll. I was shocked, amazed, and thoroughly thrilled. It wasn't Christmas, my birthday, or some special occasion. The doll became a cherished treasure that I still possess. As I recalled this memory today, I immediately thought about our heavenly father. He continues to bless without any special reason and regardless of whether we are deserving or not. God is so amazing and I am thankful that I had a Daddy that did his best to be Christ-like. Of course, my children are now being loved and guided by a daddy that follows after God's heart. I miss my Daddy so much and wish he could have met my little girl. Maybe through the windows of heaven he sees her.

Today, Bryn could not contain her excitement to honor her Daddy. Her and her brothers picked out a shirt and tie for their dad. She loves to give presents and was giddy with enthusiasm. It was a wonderful day and I am so thrilled to married to Bryce, Blake, and Bryn's Daddy.

P.S. Our church always gives some small gift to every dad that attends service on Father's Day. This year, each dad received a litre bottle of DAD'S OLD FASHIONED ROOT BEER and 1/4 pound of specialty jerky. They all seemed thrilled with their gifts. :)

Just Rambling

Today was a very busy day with temperatures reaching the triple digits, but I found time to take Bryn and Blake to the hotel pool. It was in the early evening and we had the pool all to ourselves. They wanted me to take pictures of them jumping in the pool and then, they wanted me to judge their jumps as if they were Olympians. Their older brother had gone to play baseball and their dad was working out of town. I must admit, it was a pleasure to just sit and enjoy watching the silly antics of my two young ones. There are so many things weighing on my mind but, for those few moments, I didn't think about any pressing issues. The contractor came yesterday and has scheduled a return visit tomorrow. Hopefully, we will have a new estimate by Monday or Tuesday. When we receive that, we will submit it to our insurance and see if they will be agreeable. (Keep praying!) My mind has been bothered because we are to leave June 24 to begin tour with the WAY - Western All-State Youth - Choir. This year they will travel northern California and into Oregon. I'm sure we will have people working in our house by that time and I don't know who we will get to oversee the job while we are away. When we return from WAY tour, we will have only three weeks before we leave to set up for family camp. My husband is in charge of setting up a tent the size of a football field that is used for family camp. It takes a week to set up and then people arrive for a week of Camp Meeting for the whole family. Afterwards, the tent must come down until the next year. I realize I am rambling, so I will shut up after one more thing. A couple weeks ago I had promised to make a post and was delayed due to a rough day with my heart. I now know what happened. I had been to the doctor a few days prior and had moderate edema in my legs. My physician gave me a diuretic but did not give me any potassium. My potassium level dropped dangerously low. Fortunately I had done a complete blood panel and when the physician received the report they called me and instructed me to go directly to the pharmacy and pick up a prescription of potassium and start it immediately. Thank goodness this was caught soon because I know I could have just as easily went into cardiac arrest. I guess I am rambling because I really haven't given any thought to anything important today - that's okay once in awhile and I am glad I just relaxed my mind this day.

House Update

Time for a house update. Believe it or not, the repair work has not even started. After the drying process, it took several days for the adjuster to come. This adjuster was only submitting measurements and extent of damage. When the official adjuster received this work, he began calculating pricing. A week ago Friday, we finally received the official estimate of damage. When it is all said and done, our insurance will have put out nearly $50,000 (which includes ServiceMaster, hotel, and other misc. charges above the actual repairs). After receiving the official estimate, it was our duty to bring a contractor in and see if they can complete the repairs within the estimated amount of money. The contractor was supposed to arrive last Wednesday and couldn't make it do to a case of the flu. The appointment was rescheduled for today. Say a prayer that work will begin soon and that all goes smoothly. We are ready to go back home. :)

Sweet Innocence

The innocence of children and their creativity always amazes me. These precious pics are of some children in our church. They began their infant life at just a few weeks old with a foster mom and the boy is now her adopted son. The little girl is currently being shared between this incredible foster mom and the biological mom. If you could see this foster mom, you would believe these children were her biological children. (The boy and girl are no relation.) If kids do not have toys, they will create something into a toy. Did you ever think of using a Rubbermaid tub for a swimming pool? Or a dump truck for a waterfall? Even though the girl is smaller, she held her own soaking her big "brother." Her glee is obvious as she claps her hands. To see these two in real life, is so sweet because this boy absolutely adores his little "sister." I have told their foster mom that I admire her for being a foster parent. It takes a very special and unselfish person to fulfill the role of foster parent. There are so many precious children who do not have loving homes. These two were fortunate to be placed in a loving environment. Do me a favor - say a prayer for these children and their foster mom. We want the best for them.

Are You Going Anywhere?

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.- Beverly Sills

While reflecting on this quote, I began to think how people will travel long distances to vacation. Upon their return, they flash their pictures and express they are anxious to "go again." Funny thing is, where we live is a vacation for someone else. Vacations are actually the desire to get away from the present day to day grind. I don't think Beverly Sills quote had anything to do with vacation, but rather with reaching goals. Regardless, if the place is worth going, you have to take the trip. The road I am travelling is headed toward heaven. I haven't found any shortcuts and I don't like detours. Of one thing I am certain, it is a place worth going.

Angels Watching Over?

This story from the associated press was so incredible, I had to post it. This should make you believe in guardian angels.

WHEELCHAIR USER TAKEN ON WILD 50-MPH RIDE

PAW PAW, Mich. - A man was taken on a wild ride when his wheelchair became lodged in the grille of a semitrailer and was accidentally pushed down a highway for four miles at about 50 mph, authorities said. The 21-year-old man, whose name was not released, was unharmed but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He had been secured to his wheelchair by a seat belt. “The man spilled his soda pop, but he wasn’t upset,” said Sgt. Kathy Morton of the Michigan State Police. About 4 p.m. Wednesday, a caller told police dispatchers, “You are not going to believe this: There is a semi truck pushing a guy in a wheelchair on Red Arrow Highway,” state police said in a release. Prank call? Authorities initially wondered whether the report was a prank call until others called with similar reports. Officers stopped the truck — wheelchair still attached — at a trucking company. The driver didn’t believe officers until he stepped from his cab and saw for himself. “When he saw us, he was like, ’What’s going on?”’ Morton said. An investigation revealed the man in the wheelchair had pulled in front of the truck at a gas station and it somehow became lodged by its handles to the front grille.

Happiness Will Find You

Just past the five month mark, my counter has registered over 10,000 hits to my blog. Thank you friends and fellow bloggers for dropping by, sharing your thoughts, comments, and friendship. Without you, blogging wouldn't be nearly as much fun. Here's a quote to enjoy today.

Happiness is like a cat. If you try to coax it or call it, it will avoid you. It will never come. But if you pay no attention to it and go about your business, you'll find it rubbing up against your legs and jumping into your lap.- William Bennett

True Nobility Stands Tall

You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims.- Harriet Woods

Following in the vein of my post on Friday, I found this quote to ring true for progressive discussions and life in general. It made me think of the recent Miss Universe Pageant held in Mexico City. I have read how these pageants have guards to prevent any sabotage of the contestants costumes, food, etc. On camera, you will only see beautiful smiles, but behind the scenes there are some who are willing to stand on top of a competitor to gain a better position. When Miss USA made her evening gown entrance, she slipped and fell. The crowd clapped wildly and when Miss USA was later announced, the audience resonated with boo's and chanted "Mexico." (By the way, Miss America was 4th runner-up and Miss Japan was the winner. The pic is of Miss America and Oprah Winfrey.) U.S. athletes have sparked a similar response. In 2005, when the U.S. played Mexico during a World Cup soccer qualifier, the crowd booed the U.S. national anthem and a smattering of fans chanted "Osama! Osama!" during the game. What a rude audience! It is their perogative to hate America, but they should at least be respectful and give courtesy to humankind. What is it about people who are willing to degrade themselves with such disgusting behavior to try and get ahead? A real winner doesn't want to "cheat" to win because they hurt their personal goals. Here is a quote my Dad often said, "True nobility lies not in being superior to some other being, but true nobility lies in being superior to your former self." The above quotes, apply to much more than sports and beauty pageants. I'm sure you know people who are willing to risk anything and "play dirty" to "climb the ladder" of success. Guess that's why some say it's a dog eat dog world. I choose true nobility.

Progressive Discussion

The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.- Joseph Joubert

Isn't that a great quote? This can particularly apply to us - bloggers. We often prompt each other to think about subjects that spur argument. These friendly discussions should give us a progressive perspective rather than a feeling of, "I won that fight." I wish more people could be objective in their arguments. If we truly resist our competitive nature to win an argument, we might find we have learned so much more. This doesn't mean I have to agree with the subject of discussion, but it can teach me the reasoning of the opposition. By learning the thoughts of both sides of a discussion, I have the choice to decide if I may have been wrong in my original position or it strengthens my argument by understanding what points are weak. Whatever side you take, don't jeopardize a friendship. My stance has always been, I will agree to disagree. Feeling victorious in an argument does not make a winner. Go ahead, make me think. :)

2007 Jr. King & Queen Pageant

First, I apologize for telling you I would be bragging again on Monday and we are already at Wednesday. My doctor recently made a change in my meds and my heart sort of rebelled. Suffice it to say, today is better than the past couple days. On to the bragging - - - Sunday night was the Jr. King and Queen Pageant at our church. Bryn was first runner-up and Blake won King. This is an annual fund-raiser to sponsor a national program, Save Our Children, and other projects within our church. A total of 16 children participated this year, and they raised over $3700 in less than ten weeks. Each child met the goal of $100 that rewards them with an out-of-town trip, and those that raise over $200 receive additional prizes. This year's queen, Daria, raised over $800. The out-of-town trip will be to a performance of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. During the pageant, each "princess" is announced, escorted down the center aisle, and the princes raise swords in the air as each princess passes. When they reach the stage, they turn and curtsy to the audience before taking their place. After the the queen is announced, the princes file to the front and are individually presented to the crowd. Of course, this royal court enjoys every moment of the spotlight. After each child had been announced and awards given, Blake and Bryn sang. They were followed by a song from the queen and her mother. It was a wonderful event. Of course, I take photos of each child and give their parents copies of all the pictures. This was Bryn's 3rd time to participate in this pageant. She has always placed, and now she is wanting to be queen. Who knows what will happen next year?! The competition is always stiff.

Student of the Month

As promised, here is more bragging. We were back at the school for an awards ceremony the day after the talent show, and Bryn was selected as student of the month. A medal was put around her neck, she was given an achievement certificate, a gold anchor pin, and received gift cards for Elephant Bar Restaurant and another local cafe. The picture is of Bryn and her teacher. This teacher deserves credit for giving Bryn an excellent educational foundation. Like her brother, I believe Bryn will be an accelerated student. She is at the top of her class and.......I am so proud of her. End of bragging for today, but I will have more tomorrow. Here's a clue. Tonight was our Jr. Royal Pageant.

Talent Show Winners

About a month ago, Bryn came home from school with a talent show try-out form and she said, "Mom, I need to borrow one of your trax." She was going to be in the school talent show! The trax she wanted was a little too difficult for her, but I found another one of the same song and she was all set. She decided she wanted Blake to sing with her and they made it through the try-out round singing "What A Wonderful World." After several practices, the big day finally arrived. Yesterday, they had to perform at 8:30 in the morning to the k-2nd grade classes and immediately following performed to the 3rd-5th grade classes. Then, at 6:30 last night, they performed for the parents and friends. The competition was stiff. There were several soloists, various dance groups, and instrumentalists. I must admit, I was impressed with the amount of talent in this elementary school. The judges were a disc jockey, local business man, a school official, and an anchor from a local TV station. I am hoping that my husband can edit his video and allow me to post Bryn and Blake's performance. They were so cute! Bryn sang the first verse, Blake sang the second verse, and they joined for the chorus. During the interlude, Blake twirled Bryn around and they tossed flowers into the audience. When the talent show concluded, the awards were presented - - - YEAH! Bryn and Blake were first place. She has been floating on clouds since. Well, enough bragging for today, but I will have more to brag about tomorrow. :)

A - Z

Ronda tagged me and I am not sure if I will keep this going - - -but here's my take.

“A to Z Meme”
A - Available or Single? Single? Can't even remember those days!
B - Best Friend - Do I have to pick? Brian first, then...Debbie, Charla, Karry,.........
C- Cake or Pie. Not fair! I want both.
D- Drink of Choice. Water
E- Essential Item. Debit Card.
F- Favorite Color. PINK!
G- Gummi Bears or Worms. YUCK! Neither!
H- Hometown. Delano, CA
I- Indulgence. If I can't have Belgian chocolate, than I will take Godiva white chocolate with hazelnut
J- January or February. Definitely February. January is the stressful, tax junk month and close the year - hate it!
K- Kids. 3 gorgeous children.
L- Life is incomplete without… God
M- Marriage Date. September 14
N- Number of Siblings? One much older sister! :)
O- Oranges or Apples? Choose again! I want both and a banana, too!
P- Phobias/Fears. I thought I had overcame them all, but I sure do hate mice, spiders, lizards,...
Q- Favorite Quote. "Pain is inevitable, misery is optional."
R- Reasons to smile. You stated this plural and there just isn't enough space to tell it all, but God, my husband and kids give me plenty of smiles. In fact, I love the song called "Smile."
S- Season(ing).Season - Can't cook without garlic and I love spring.
T- Tag Three. Do I have to?
U- Unknown Fact About Me. Can't tell you because then it would be known.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals. Not totally vegetarian, but I am somewhat lenient with the cows and pigs never have to worry.
W- Worst Habit. Judging people upon first impression.
X- X-rays or Ultrasounds. Oh, please! There can't be anyone who would like either of these!
Y - Your favorite food. How about restaurant? Benihana and P.F. Chang's. My husband has figured out how to make all the things I love at Benihana including their ginger sauce. AWESOME!
Z- Zodiac. What!?! I don't play with the devil.