Follow-up on previous post......

After hearing Andrea's interpetation of how she viewed my comments on Ted Kennedy's memorial service, I thought I better clarify that when I said I enjoyed it...I meant that it was light and filled with humorous comments from his friends ...the circumstances were different than of his brothers' deaths, so it wasn't as solemn. I certainly never meant to imply that I enjoyed the fact that he was dead! ......Whew! Now that's taken care of!..Hahaha

A bit of history and personal commentary

Ted Kennedy certainly hasn't been a favorite of mine in the Senate, nor has he impressed me with his moral conduct over the years, however his passing does take me back in time to when I was young girl sitting in my 6th grade class room. We were having music time with the school music teacher when there was a knock on the classroom door. I remember the teacher going to the door and stepping outside for a moment then coming back in with a terrible look on her face. She went to the front of the class and with tears running down her face and told us that Pres. Kennedy had been shot. I remember the shock and the unsettled feeling that came over everyone. (Times were shaky back then in the early 60's...The missile crisis, the KKK, etc. At school it was common to have air-raid drills regularly.) It was shortly after that we were dismissed from class...I believe for lunch. After returning to the classroom, we were told that he had died. School was out for next few days. I remember watching the funeral procession on TV and how 'John John' saluted his father's casket as it passed by. I remember being glued to the TV and for the first time really understanding that I was watching a historical event...live coverage on TV...something we were not use to back then. I also remember the live coverage of Lee Harvey Oswald being shot by Jack Ruby. These became strong images in my mind. ...Of course, a few years later there was the assassination of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. In the 60's my eyes were opened to the many things that were going on in the world....the KKK... mobsters, riots, Vietnam, Hippies...protests. I found it all very scary.
Tonight, as I watched a little of the memorial service of Ted Kennedy, I have to admit I rather enjoyed it in comparison to watching the services for his brothers. I find myself surprised he lived as long as he did. He tried running for president a couple of times over the years...I think we all assumed if he did, he would also be shot down. There were many who didn't like the Kennedy clan. Though I wasn't a fan of his, one can't deny that his passing marks the end of an era. Things have changed. Now, I believe there are threats to us all much worse than back when I was sitting in that 6th grade classroom. What is the biggest threat to our society today? This country's motto is being pushed aside..."IN GOD WE TRUST'... if only it was taught and valued by all...I believe we all would be living more peacefully. Instead, celebrity status seems to be what people follow, trust and treat like gods. It is superficial on so many levels.
I believe that Ted Kennedy had good intentions and did many good things in his life. I do not believe most of his political agendas were correct ones, nor do I think he conducted himself as someone to be idolized. Nevertheless, I do pray for him and his family...that they may all turn to God and find the peace and comfort that lies within His love.

Rain Forest Cafe

One of the grandkids' favorite places to go in Katy, Texas is the Rain Forest Cafe.
For those of you who have never been to one, it is a place that has various animated animals, waterfall, and aquariums under branches of foliage all across the ceiling and walls. The animals come to life at different times making their familiar sounds, while moving their various body parts.
While there, you will usually experience a thunder storm complete with lighting as well as the big booms of thunder. While Melissa was working one afternoon Jason and I took the kids there for lunch where they ordered their favorite....mac & cheese.

I wanted to get pictures of them with some of the animals...but kids will be kids...they were ready to go after lunch. Instead we went out to the gift shop where they picked out treasures for grandma to get them to take home.

Grandma goes to Texas

These are my 2 munchkins that live in Texas.
It was great to have the opportunity to spend time with them and their mom and dad.
Jacob, age 2 is our only grandson. He is a sweet easy going little guy that is full of energy and lots of fun.
Emily, age 5 is our 5th granddaughter. She is very bright and determined with a big heart.
She loved having grandma play in her room with her.
Grandma got lots of exercise being an airplane, horse, and giving piggyback rides to both the kids.
I also got the opportunity to go sliding and survived...hahaha

This was taken on Emily's first day of kindergarten.
It was nice to be there for one of the milestones in her life.
Kindergarten goes from 8:20am until 3:40 in the afternoon.
A big adjustment to be gone all day!

Taken in the morning before school

Saturday morning at the neighborhood pool

Profound Short Paragraph

I was on my facebook page and noticed on the sidebar where Nathan had commented on a friends page. I decided to look up what that friend had posted and found it to be so true and decided to print it here.

" You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything the government does not first take from someone else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they worked for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multipy wealth by dividing it."

Adrian Rogers 1931

Girls Day at the Park

Today was the last chance I had to go and do something with Andrea and the girls for a couple of weeks. It was a cooler overcast day, just right for the girls to have fun comfortably on all the playground equipment. It was fun to watch them and took me back to my childhood.
Wish I could fit comfortably on those swings as I once did and swing like they do!

Before the park, we had a picnic lunch in the gazebo and stopped in at the library so the girls could pick out some books for summer reading.
We topped off the day with a stop at Baskin and Robbins before heading home.

A day at the beach with my dear friend

ConneMara and I always have a good time together. Each year we try to make it to the beach. The weather was so warm this last week and each of us have trips planned soon, so we decided it was time to take a day to have fun together and make our yearly trip to the coast.
It was a wonderful day! First we decided to stop by the new house she and her husband bought in Ridgefield so she could show it to me. From there we went up through Longview and across the river and followed the Columbia River to Astoria and then drove south to Seaside to browse a little at the outlets. Then we headed farther south to Cannon Beach. When we arrived there it was lunch time so we went to Dooger's. I have a tradition of getting their Halibut Sandwich....yummy! ConneMara, being from Oklahoma originally, loves her catfish. From lunch we went down to Tolavana and walked on the beach a little then just sat in the sand and talked for 2 hours! ConneMara had never walked in beach sand or seen sea life in natural pools of water until the first time we went to the beach together. She loves the sand and the feel of it. As we talked, she built up sand mounts and I, as I have done since a child, started digging a hole in the sand. It sounds boring and simple...but the conversation and the peacefulness of the sights and sounds of the surf were just what we needed and throughly enjoyed. After leaving the beach we had just enough time to visit some of the shops before they closed and bought a few items. We have developed a tradition I hope we are able to continue in the future. Thanks ConneMara for our friendship and the good times we share.

Ally's Blueberry Smile

Kaitlyn 'studying' the music for the piano

Kaitlyn really wanted to play the piano and was trying to make sense of the music book.

Reposting of Picture of Mom with Andrea and Nathan during Nathan's visit