Memorial Day Program 2013

  On Memorial Day last month, the Girl Scouts were asked to help out with our local Joint Memorial Day Service.  Because of the long weekend, we had to get girl from a few different troops but it worked out very well.  I was very proud of these girls.  The program opened up with the Master of Ceremonies, who is the Commander of Bean Goodwin Legion Post #36.



 The featured speaker for the service was Randall Cale.  He is the Tenth District Commander of the American Legion.  His address was very moving and inspiring.

 The color guard was made up of members who have served in the military from our community.

A local high school student sang the National Anthem and another musical selection.  This young lady has an amazing voice!

A member of the American Legion Auxiliary #36 gave a memorial tribute to the "American Gold Star Mothers". 

The wreath that represents the American Gold Star Mothers.   This is an organization of mothers whose sons or daughters served and died that this world might be a better place in which to live. (Taken from goldstarmoms.com)  I am thinking that for a service project next your our girl scout troop might make a new gold star wreath for the service.

This is the Legion Post Chaplain during the Roll Call of the dead.  It is a reading of all the community members that have served in the military that have died.  Normally it is a very long list but this year it was decided to start with WWII.

One of the Girl Scouts placing a wreath during the Roll Call of the Dead.  For every war, a wreath is placed on a stand.

The Girl Scouts and I ready with the wreath to be placed.

All of the wreaths after the Roll Call of the Dead was done.  You don't realize how many local men and woman served and died for us.

 

   The service ended with the Benediction and the Retirement of the Colors.  If you have never been to your local Memorial Day Service, maybe think about going.  It is a very rewarding experience. 

 

Love to all,   Sara 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God Bless America!

 

   Is there a more iconic picture?  This was taken while the National Anthem was being sung before the demolition derby during our town's annual celebration.  Something about this image struck an emotion deep within me.  You can call it pride, patriotism or simply love for our country and community.  I know I would not want to live in another town, state or country.  God Bless America!

 



Love to all,   Sara

Thank You Hubby

  I think the Hubby HATES pinterest.  He says it is because I get all these ideas that are great (I think he added that so I wouldn't get mad) but it just means more work for him.  I tell him, he seems to like to different recipes I have found and the different tips so I don't need his help doing some stuff around the house, so if he has to do a few extra things in the yard to make me happy "Oh Well."  This is the latest project I had the Hubby doing.  I think it turned out great! 

 

It took him from 9:00am to 5:00pm one Saturday, with only an hour break.  I couldn't believe how hard he worked that day or how long it took.  In my defense, he was only using a small electric chain saw when he should of been using the big gas powered one (which was forgotten at the shop), so it did take extra time and energy because of that.  I think it looks wonderful.  Thank you honey for all of your hard work around the house.  I don't know what I would do with out you.

 

Hubby made the crevice 14" deep.  



The amount of wood Hubby cut out of the log.  It will make some great bonfires.

 

We had two wheelbarrows full of sawdust.  We were able to mulch our strawberries and tomatoes with it.

 

I planted wave petunias.  I think they will look great draping down the log.

 

The finished product.

 

 

Love to all,   Sara

So It Begins

  So It Begins!  You may ask what I am talking about.  I am talking about the constant running of the summer.  There are days during the summer that I actually wish for school back, because some of the craziness of the summer slowes down.  The main thing going on this summer is Bug is in the cast of a local Summer Theater.  It is localed about 45 miles away, which isn't that far away really, but with practice 3-4 nights a week it does eat into our relaxing time.  Practice usually starts at 6:00 pm and lasts until between 9:00 and 10:00.  I get a lot of reading done during this time.  Last year, I went through about 2 books a week. 

This is where Bug will be spending most of her summer!

She loves it, so I am happy she has the opportunity to do this kind of community theater.  I will tell you more about it as we get closer to performance days.  This year they are presenting "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat."  The cast that the director has but together is amazing.  Soon we will be able to start car pooling with our neighbors, who are also in the musical.  This will help a lot.  But if you ever can't find me just come looking for me at the LaMoure County Summer Musical Theater.  I will be there is a van, reading, waiting for my little "star."

 

 

Love to all,   Sara

Sugar

  Is this not the cutest dog you have ever seen?  Our family thinks so.  This is Sugar.  She is a Welsh Corgi/Black Lab cross.  She looks like a mini black lab but with a longer nose.  She definitely has the temperament of a lab.  She is the best dog our family could of ever asked for.  In October, Sugar will be 17 years old.  She is starting to show her age.  She use to be all black, but now has a lot of gray around her mouth.  She doesn't hear real well any more and have really bad cataracts on both of her eyes but that doesn't stop her.  She seems to know when someone is in the kitchen or when the front door opens and is right there.  Sugar isn't as active as she use to be, but I guess if I lived to the equivalent age in human years, I wouldn't be real active either.  Her joints are getting stiff and she can't really run much but she really doesn't need to.  She has led a good life.  Last fall, the local vet warned us that he didn't think she would make it through the winter.  Well, Sugar proved him wrong  so who knows how many more years Sugar has in her.  Sugar was with us before we had our daughter.  She was a wonderful watch dog when Bug was a baby.  I remember one time, I had laid Bug on the floor for a nap on a blanket.  At first, Sugar was just laying on the edge of the blanket, but before you know it, Sugar had placed herself on the blanket with her back right next to Bug and between her and the door.  It was the sweetest picture ever.  Even when Sugar got up, she made sure not to wake up Bug.  Bug could do just about anything to her and Sugar would just look at her and then me like "I can't believe this kid.", but she never tried to bite Bug or growl at her.  But if it was someone she didn't know that tried to get close to Bug when she was small, you would definitely hear her growl and might even feel her bite.  This is our little Sugar Pop.  We love her more than anything.  

 

 

Adorable. isn't she?

 

Love to all,   Sara

 

Ballet Academy 2013

Bug after the ballet.

  We are home from the first performance of the new class of Ballet Academy.  Bug's dance teacher just started offering this class this year.  It is a class offered to K-12 that focuses simply on ballet.  Bug absolutely loved this class.  This class is above and beyond her normal tap/ballet/jazz class.  The academy presented "Peter and the Wolf."  The girls gave a wonderful performance.  My Bug had three roles actually.  She was part of the pond and part of the meadow, but most importantly she played Grandpa.  She did a fantastic job.  She even had to dance with a cane and a scuffle and was able to pull it off.  I was so impressed with all of the dancers, but especially my little Bug.  Thank you Miss Suzanne for dedicating so much time and hard work to these young ladies.   You deserve our eternal gratitude! 

"Grandpa" all ready to go on!

The entire cast of "Peter and the Wolf."

Miss Suzanne

The "Birds"

Bug as the "Pond"

Grandpa getting after Peter

Grandpa dragging Peter home.

 The Wolf

 The Wolf is captured.

The Wolf coughs up the duck.

 

 I wish you all could of seen this wonderful performance.  It was more than any of us expected.  I fully expect to see the young lady that played the wolf to be a star in a ballet company in New York some day.  She is that good.  She is going to college in the east this fall, majoring in dance.  Our little Bug says she wants to follow in her footsteps.  One never know!

 

 

Love to all,   Sara

Spring Dance Recital 2013

  Last Sunday, Bug had here Spring Dance Recital.  It was a fun filled day with a lot of wonderful young dancers showing off everything they had learned in the past year.  Bug loves her dance classes.  The recital is for her tap/ballet/jazz class.  She also takes a ballet class called Ballet Academy, but I will write a post on that later.  Bug's class danced 3 dances; a tap performance to Rhythm Tap, a jazz performance to Telephone, and a ballet to Oboe Concerto No3 Allegro.   They were all very good.  Of course, she is her own worst critic and had to tell me everything that was done wrong.  I reassured her that the audience couldn't tell the difference.  We didn't know if they were suppose to hold a pose for 5 counts or 7. She is a perfectionist!   She was all excited because her instructor told her next year she will be ready for Pointe class.  This means one more night of classes and one more night she will be gone.   I shouldn't complain.  She loves dance, it is good healthy exercise and with the studio next door I don't have to drive here anywhere.  I just say time to get ready and maybe help put her hair up in a bun.  The joys of living in a small town!!! 

My favorite part of the tap performance.

Precision footwork during tap.

A ballet turn

 

 The jazz dance

Bug was excited most about the bedazzled phones they had as props.

 

Thanks for letting me brag!!

 

Love to all,   Sara