Last of the seas creatures

I got the last of the sea creatures done. The only thing left is to paint the sand at the bottom of the wall.

Dean Robert Bright

We found out on Wednesday that my cousin Dean was killed in action in Iraq.

Dean was a great person who always made me feel welcome.

He was the one who was always smiling, always laughing.

Dean leaves behind his wife Becky, his two children Jarrod 9 and Maddie 6, his parents Uncle Bob and Aunt Norma, his sister Sandra. He also had uncles, aunts, cousins, neices and nephews who will all miss him greatly.

I remember being there when Becky and Dean got married. He was so happy. So excited.

Then I went away and joined the military.

I didn't see him again for several years but when I did he and Becky welcomed us and our kids into their home.

We were there to clebrate our grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary.

Newspaper article about Dean

New camera!

I got a new camera.

I've had a couple of people ask me to take pictures for them. I'm really looking forward to it.

I did have to try it out and my willing participant was not Tete this time.

It's always nice to have new models!!

As I edit and crop pics I will continue to add them to Flickr.

Baby B

And he's off, again!

Rod left this morning for an underway period.

Thankfully he will be home again before Mom and Poppa leave.

The last couple times he hasn't been home much but hopefully his days off will really be days off this time!

He will of course be leaving again shortly after returning, he's leaving the same day as Mom, Poppa, and "the crew".

Poppa's meetings were cancelled so he's been home everyday this week but does occassionally wander out to do the things that Poppa does!!

Silly kitty!!!

My kitties will sleep anywhere they can fit.

Some of the places that the fit are just so funny and I have to take pictures of them.

This is Minie sleeping thier water dish.



He actually slept there for quite a while before getting up and moving on!

Two days in one!

Sunday I headed off to aid in the Sunday school class. Rod had duty so I had to come home to pick up my kids and head back to church.

Mom and Poppa joined us at church with their four kids and we proceeded to sign them all in to their classes.

My teacher didn't show up so I taught in the second service also.

After church we headed home and relaxed.

It was a lazy sorta day, well as lazy as you can get with 5 kids under the age of 4!

Headed off to my evening class and ended the day.

Monday got all the kids off to school and then to practice.

They have to be there by 4pm and I stop and picked another team member up and gave him a ride. The kids get home from school, grab a snack, go potty and head out to the van.

Not to much excitement except lots of kids, lots of toys and lots of fun!!!

Taniyah helping and Mom's here!

Yesterday morning I was checking my e-mail after getting the four elementary kids off to school.

Ladaria and Tyreque had a planning day so they were still home.

Taniyah decided that she needed to help me and settled herself right in front of my laptop!



We went to choir practice and then on to home group.

Brayana went to Palm Springs for the weekend with friends, Ladaria went to stay with Lauren, Destini went to a birthday party and Tyreque went to a friends house so today we only had Jaleel, Tete and Mak.

We took them to the rec center for a community fair.

Mom called and we weren't sure when they would be coming in.

She finally called to say that they had made it in so Jaleel and I headed off to pick them up.

Rod stayed home with Makkiah and Tete so they could help him clean out the van.

Since they were delayed and rushed from one plane to the next they had not eaten all day. We met Rod at Poppa's favorite eatin' place.

Came home and vacuum out the van.

The new tutu!

I made a new tutu with some thinner material.

It still looks really big on her though.

She's not to impressed with any of them really.

That may change after our company gets here and she has to share!

Cheese!!!

Taniyah loves to get her picture taken.

Lately she brings me the camera and says "cheese"!!

I hung some fabric on the wall from Wally world.

Today she brought me the camera and went to stand in front of the backdrop!

She was loving it!!





And then a made a collage of some of her different expressions!

Busy Day

Today was the Family Day lunch at the elementary school.

I have four kids there and decided to take Taniyah and go.

Makkiah had lunch at 11:35 so he was first to come out.

I fed Taniyah before we went but she sat with Makkiah and kept him company!



Then Destini came out for lunch 10 minutes later. Makkiah had finished eating. Destini sat down with a friend but there wasn't much room left so we moved to the peace circle. Then Brayana and Jaleel came out. By the time they all got out and ate it was time to pick Makkiah up from his class which he had returned to.



After school we went to Math Club at the rec center. Brayana, Destini, and Jaleel go twice a week and I help out. They seem to enjoy it. Mixed in is a little public speaking which is good for them.

After that we ran home and ate quickly before heading off to children's Bible study. We talked about Jesus being our best friend and we had a party.





Then we came back home and ate dinner.

Lizard

I caught a lizard!

I took Taniyah out to play and Coco was trying to catch it. So I brought it in the house and put it in the little tank thing for Brayana.

In the process I had to take a couple of pictures!

Always looking for a new subject.

So here is the little lizard on my finger!

Who needs school photographers?

I went to Walmart and bought some black material for a backdrop. Pinned it up on the kitchen wall, brought in one of our lamps, and home made photo studio!



Makkiah took this photo of Ladaria

I made a tutu

or at least I attempted to make a tutu!

I followed the directions and it didn't turn out as I had pictured it.

Got some more material and will try again.

What do you think -

Tutu



or

Hair?

What?

What do you mean my Mom hasn't been keeping this site updated?

Kittens

Playing with pictures

I took some of the other kids but they didn't come out to well. I will have to retry the ideas that I did with them again later.

Fallen, Not Forgotten

I got a DVD yesterday of the ACTION team when they presented at the Vietnam Veteran's Moving Wall display.

It was an honor for the team to be able to do this and to honor those who had served and lost their lives for our freedom.

This song is one of my favorites.

Fallen, Not Forgotten

A few more creatures!

I finished outlining a few more of our creatures in the nursery at church.

I might have it finished in the next week or so and then will be moving on to the next room!!

Rod did the painting on these and I did the outlining. He's really starting to get good at blending those colors!

Spotlight

Every day in the kindergarten class they choose two children to get "Spotlight". Spotlight is giving to the two kids who have shown kindness, made good choices and listened well in class.

After the first week and half of school I was certain that Makkiah would not get Spotlight but he has proven me wrong and of this I am glad!

Today was the second time he has recieved spotlight. He even recieved an OUTSTANDING on his behavior for the week on his parent bulletin!!!

Maybe he isn't dedtined to be the kindergarten drop out after all! WHEW!! I was a little worried there for a few days. My other thought was that I would end up spending a LOT of time there at the school with him and the principal! Two whole weeks though and NO calls!

Rod's pulmonary appt

Rod went to see the pulmonologist yesterday.

He was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, reactive airway disease and nasal mucosal something or other.

These problems all started AFTER moving into the house.

Will have to call my attorney and find out what I need to do.

It's probably mold in the house that is doing it.

Wonder if we will have to move back into housing until things get straightened out.

Rod doesn't like that idea but if we have to so that he can get healthy then that's a price that we have to pay. I know that eventually we will have to move out because the house needs a lot of work that can't be done while we are here.

The problem is that we can't afford to live in housing and pay our mortgage so I'm not sure exactly how that would work out.

Need to talk to the attorney first and find out.

Will let everyone know when I hear something.