48 weeks of 52--Thankful, & Lesson learned!

I have to say that today, being Thanksgiving day, One of the things I'm thankful for is Carin issuing this challenge.
This month (17th) my second "baby girl" turned 30.
Unbelievable, where have the years gone?
When she was visiting a couple weeks ago I had someone take a quick picture of the two of us together. Today when I went to look for a picture of us together when she was a baby....Well to my dismay there is none.
Yes, I was the typical mom, always behind the camera. I have tons of pictures of her. By herself, with her dad, with her siblings, with her friends, but all in all possibly (maybe!) 1/2 doz with me, her mother in 30 years. Now that is SAD!
So once again, I commend Carin for coming up with the idea of taking a picture every week with us and our kids together.
Don't put it off, don't make excuses, Just hand over your camera to someone or set your self timer. You won't be sorry!


Leon, I and Jeanne with our 2nd baby girl, Jana Beth. 12 hours old.


The first picture I found of the two of us together. Jana's 2nd birthday


Happy Birthday, beloved daughter!

What we've been busy doing

I volunteered to make holiday cards for Nebraska Friends of Midwives group to send to the Nebraska Senators. A fun project, but time consuming since there was 50 to make, plus addressing the envelopes. I'm glad those are finished.





I've been looking forward to having a good excuse to spend some time baking, and today I baked 8 loaves of bread, (we ate one for lunch) two loaves of cinnamon bread (we ate one for snack) and 3 pans of cinnamon rolls with carmel goo on top. I've also got a batch of granola in the oven baking. Anyone want to come over?
Last year when Jana was home on break, she decided the bathroom needed an overhall. She got the walls painted, but we never got some of the finishing touches that we'd planned to do. So, yesterday she said "How about if I finish the bathroom!) I found it interesting when I went back & looked HERE that it was exactly 1 year to the day! I never posted any pictures because the project wasn't finished, but maybe this year you'll get to see the finished project. The little girls were great helpers & found the right letters, painted them & handed them to her.

Happy Birthday Jana Beth!!

The last birthday of the year for our family.
Happy Birthday dear Jana, Happy Birthday to you!!
Hope you had a great party time last night! Wish we could have been there to join you!
The years have gone so quickly by, and it's hard to believe that you are 29!
Can that really be right?? Not only that, but next year it will be 10 years ago that you went in the work!
Enjoy your day, hope its a wonderful one, and a great year.
Enjoy the walk down memory lane :*)
Lots of love from us all....
Here's one of my favorites!! (from Lynisha)
http://jelly3.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-birthday-bethy.html (From Laura)

Our company this week

WHY can't they just all behave so I can get ONE good picture of them ALL?? Even the threat of putting them on my blog doesn't help!!







We're delighted to have Jana & Darla together for a couple weeks while both their co-workers are away at other conventions.

Convention Preps

I found these on my mom's camera today, they were taken at our convention preps in June.
Meshayla and Kara went out for a week with Jana before convention.


The grounds--back in the sandhills!


Hiking up (and back down!) Scottsbluff Monument





Meshayla and Kara helping Jana in the kitchen

Out of our ordinary days

Melissa (Jana's co-worker) and Jana
In the back yard at Juli & Paul's place in Wayne--North East Nebraska


This is the area of Nebraska that my Grandparents lived and my mom was born & grew up in. Beautiful country with rolling hills.
I've been thru this area before, but it was nice to get a little closer look at the area. I'd never actually been in Wayne before, and it is a beautiful small town....

pretty houses, old houses & buildings loads of trees, hilly streets and when it comes to entertainment/celebrations...true small town enthusiasm!
This weekend was the annual "chicken festival"!! We got in on a parade....

Our group of spectators, and the kids were delighted with the generous handfulls of candy tossed! (the girl on the end chair is Melissa's twin. She came up Sat. to spend the day with her.)




As you can see, this parade included everything from toddlers in wagons.......






To Semi's and the "chickendales"....!!!!


Some of the spectators were nearly as entertaining as the parade~


downtown sidewalk sales,


a chicken auction:............


Red hat, Mosaic & "A spring chicken" were among about 1 -1/2 doz featured, bringing anywhere from $75-$200.00 (wish I could remember the name of the bikini beauty...!!)

fireworks....

I have not learned to take fireworks pictures on my camera yet, and could not see the settings at all in the dark, so just started snapping away anyway. Even tho they're total flops as "fireworks" pictures, I thought the resulting images were kind of fun...the "tornado" especially!
Also there were Arts & Crafts, fun & food vendors in the park across the street from Paul & Juli's place (How handy was that!!) For breakfast all we had to do was walk across the street to the Omelet feed, & Saturday afternoon was free ice cream bars!

We did skip some of the events that were taking place, for instance: *The worlds largest Chicken dance--*Free entertainment performance of "She thinks my cluckin's sexy"--* Live Chicken flying--*Rubber chicken chuck--*Best chicken legs..(strut those bird legs!)--*Hard boiled egg eating contest--Among others :*>

I also enjoyed some impromptu shopping--an antique organ stool for me and Juli found a really awesome antique cupboard that is going to be just perfect for a place in her dining room under a set of unique windows! Unfortunately it was to heavy & large for us to just pick up and carry home like I did the stool!


We had a very nice time with Jana even if it was short. Thank you very much Juli, Paul & girls! We enjoyed our stay at your "new" place very much!
I loved their house, had a great time taking more flower pictures in her beautiful flower gardens, & was envious of the "garden shed" that Juli is turning into a darling little guest house!!