Cara hates this picture, but I really like it, and it's my blog, and I'm her mom, so I get to post it. :-)
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Life has been busy in the Houseful of Blessings. We have been doing choir practice for graduation, I have been taking Cara all over to work for people, doing schoolwork, the kids had Awana Awards night (and they all finished their books, as usual), karate as usual (oh, and Joey had a belt test on Tuesday and got his green belt Thursday evening), doing stuff for college (both Danny and Cara....Danny is pretty sure he will be finishing out his degree at UOP, cause he's sick of the state college system and not getting the classes he needs, etc),...... oh, lots of things! This afternoon Cara works in Jackson, and we will meet the H Family in the park to visit while we wait for her. We also have food to plan for Cara's graduation party, a cake to order, and stuff like that to do in the next 2 weeks. Maybe after that, we can all breath???? Wishful thinking never hurts.....

I am so blessed with this Houseful of Blessings. They are all so different, yet so neat to talk to and share life with. I love how my olders have their own walk now with the Lord, and I love watching the youngers unfold into who they will become. Life is good, and now I must get going. Another busy afternoon awaits....

First camping trip of the year

This past weekend, we went to Lake Minden, a place we used to go with my parents before we even had kids and when our big kids were little kids.

(Danny caught his first fish at Lake Minden.)
The weather was beautiful and it was just what we needed--a time to be a family, and not have anything pressing we just had to do--just be together and take a break from the "real" world for a while. Unfortunately, Danny couldn't go; he spent the weekend working and studying like crazy for finals. Although we missed him, it was a good thing for all of us, because he appreciated the quiet house to study in, and we appreciated that he was at home taking care of things (most especially the dog, who is a PAIN to take camping). God provided us with perfect weather and a really nice campsite. Here is the view from the back of our campsite:We swam

attempted to fish (but caught nothing....)hung out,

and swam some more.

There were also r/c boat races all weekend, and we, especially Ralph and Nick, watched those quite a bit.
Oh, and we ate a lot.
Just another memory to file in the family memory banks...

Yesterday Cara and I shot, oh about 100 or so pictures, to get that one perfect picture for her senior picture--the one that will hang on my wall for, like, forever.... The trouble is, we haven't been able to narrow down that one picture, cause we like lots of them. Here are just a few of my favorites.
Decisions, decisions..........

What have I been doing, you ask???

Well, my dad had his surgery, then my mom promptly got really sick with pneumonia and water on her heart and trouble breathing, etc......... So, my sisters and took turns staying with her and taking care of her and things there while my dad was in the hospital. So I went back and forth between there and home a few times and Cara held down the fort here. It was really nice to know that I could leave these guys with some instructions and some food and they would be ok. That is a wonderful benefit to having older, responsible, great, awesome kids that I can depend on.
Things are settling down there with my parents. My dad is home, my mom is doing much better, and my sis-in-love, Lynn, who lives close by (along with my brother of course) got better from her bad cold/virus so she can help with doctor appointments and stuff like that.
Sooo, I guess life is back to normal around here--sorta--, except now I realize that Cara is graduating in a month and I have tons of stuff to do! Like design and make her graduation announcements, get some pictures and other things together for the graduation, try to get a good senior picture of her (I think I may have some help in that department), and plan a graduation party. Between that and actually doing some school around here, cooking meals, keeping up with the laundry, taking Cara to her jobs, and the kids' normal busyness, I have been crazy busy.
So now you know what I have doing around here when I wasn't posting.
I'm thankful for those who prayed for my parents, I'm thankful they seem to be on the mend, and I'm thankful for the crazy, busy, love-filled, wonderful life that God has given me to live!