Where is America Headed? (videos from 1965 & 2012 - interesting!)

1965: 2012: I believe Dad would have found this interesting. Happy 65th, Dad.

Smart "Cookie"

Cute: We taught Elizabeth how to sign, "more", "all done", & "cookie".

K, so we're grocery shopping the other day & I'm singing & pushing the cart while she's doing the hand motions to "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" & "Twinkle, Twinkle". (Passers by get a chuckle out of this and it keeps her entertained & avoid crabbiness.)

I run out of songs and start "Open, Close Them" & she does the hand motions - which we've never taught her. I finish the song and tell her with glee, "You are one smart cookie!" And she signs "cookie". I get a fit of the giggles and praise her for being so literal. Yep, she's my little Smart Cookie.

Death of an Talented Artist...Thomas Kinkade on Good Friday 04/06/2012

Thomas Kinkade, who died unexpectedly on Friday at age 54, was an artist whose paintings of idyllic landscapes and biblically themed scenes garnered a huge popular following. How unexpected, but how awesome to die on the same day as our Lord. It just reminds us once again how short our lives are here on earth. May God bless this very talented man who touched so many lives in such a short amount of time.

Winter Projects Completed

It's been a busy winter for indoor projects. Not only did we re-do the bathroom, but also our master bedroom.

Before starting the project (note the smile)
Gutting and re-doing electrical & some 2x4's. New insulation in the whole room.
Closet

Mmmmm...fluffy.

Mmmm...sheetrock.

Finished closet - new walls, paint, super-duper shelving & racks. (still needs more re-organizing)

New carpet, walls, paint, door & hardware, & DB made his own door frame (easier said than done, but he did very well.) We still need to add trim to the windows & doors, & new furniture, but it's comfy-cozy and beautiful.

Now, with the indoor projects done, you're hard pressed to find him indoors. Here he's already started on deer-proofing the garden.

Happy Easter

Trying to get a toddler to hold still for a pic is like trying to hold back an ocean wave sometimes.

Adelynne & Papa chillin' in the kitchen
Playing

Saint's Cone - he picks up better reception this way.

"Grandma, phone's for you."

Yeah! Ady Mae can walk!

Ahhhh, cute Parks fam pic.

Easter "ham"

"I come over for dinner & you make me do yard work?"

So pretty & ready for church!

Matt 5:5: How blessed are those who are humble, because it is they who will inherit the earth!

Hmmm...well. What if you are humbled, but not by choice?

I went shopping today at Wal-Mart. I had a $1 off coupon if you bought two Puffs Tissues & since the HUGE multi packs were also on sale, double bonus for me (a lot of tissue, but I have the storage space). I get to check out and the cashier says I can't use it because the computer won't accept the coupon. WHY? The date is good. The quantity is good. What's the deal? Do I blow it off or request him call his manager? We'll, I had the day off and was shopping alone - so manager it up. She comes and says it all looks good, and tells the cashier to just ring it in by hand. I wasn't smug, rude, demanding, or snotty. I said "thank you" and went on my merry way, knowing the rules as an ex-cashier would, right? Ok, so maybe I had a "I told you so," thought cross my frontal lobe before I could help it.

Well, logging my purchases into the computer tonight I notice a discrepancy. Only one of the jumbo multi packs rang up. Not two. The computer was right and I am wrong. So what do I do? Blow my nose into stolen goods? Or go back to Walmart and show them the receipt and honestly pay for my $9 tissues. Well, you already know the answer.

This has happened to me in the past and I've gone back to pay. The looks on the clerk's face is always worth the time, effort and car gas when you say you that you owe them for being under charged. "No one ever does this." So, humbly I will go to pay for my tissues, because if I'm about to inherit this earth, I want it to be a kind & generous one like I'm trying to make it to be, even if it starts with something as small as a tissue.

Forgotten "Thank You"

"Thank you to my two wonderful Grandmas for watching me while daycare was on vacation. I sure enjoyed our precious time together and thank God for you! Love, Elizabeth Angel"