Homecoming 2007

Well, Homecoming 2007 is a memory.
Before Ryan took off, Chloe and Ryan posed for a picture together.
They are getting so old. Just yesterday they were little kids.
Guess that is how time goes.


Chloe and her friend, Jessica, went to the dance.
Jessica met Chloe at the dance, so I didn't get any pictures
of them together. Chloe had an ok time.
She said next year will be better.
Not sure what that means.
She looked very good though!!!






Ryan and Chandler (his non girlfriend, if you ask his parents, and his girlfriend if you ask him.) had a great time. I remember when Seth and Ashley went to Homecoming at this age. Seth wasn't allowed to date yet, but Ashley came up with her parents and they went with Seth's friend, Jeff, and his girlfriend.
Chandler's parents drove Ryan and Chandler to the dance, and then drove Ryan home afterwards.
How cute is that?

Angela, Ryan and Isaiah went
over to Chandler's parents house
before the dance for pictures.
Thought this was a cute picture.

Inconsolable

I have loved the Backstreet Boys forever.
Take a look at the new video!

Homecoming

Last night we went to the Lakeville Homecoming game.
Lakeville played Eastview. Eastview beat us 10 to zero.
Not a very exciting game.
The place was a madhouse however.
I took a bunch of pictures.
The problem is that my camera isn't very good
so it has a hard time with bright lights in a stadium.
I had some great shots of Ryan in the drumline,
but because the lighting was such, they are all blurry!
SETH...YOUR MOTHER NEEDS CAMERA HELP!

The kids got all dressed up and we walked up to the game.
Walking is the only way to go, because it was so crazy both before
and after the game.





This is Isaiah's friend, Jacob.
The told me to take this picture because they
looked like the Cingular commercial with the bars.

BRUCE

Oh my goodness!
I thought I would pass out!
Bruce Springsteen was on the Today show this morning.
He was soo good!
It was so awesome to see the whole E-Street Band!
I am going to try to find some video to post on here.
How cute is he in this picture?
Click the link below to watch him sing:

Springsteen: ‘The Promised Land’

Seth

Seth updated his blog the other day.
I wanted to post the link on here yesterday
but it wouldn't load. Not sure why!
Sounds like life is good in Gainesville.
I will attach both Ashley and Seth's latest entry!

http://sethsimonson.myadventures.org/index.asp?filename=getting-started

http://ashleyhall.myadventures.org/index.asp?filename=life-in-gainesville

Luke

This picture is so stinking funny!
Today after school Luke's team played the team from Isaiah's school.
The teams tied 2 to 2.
Isaiah was rooting for both sides.
Angela went into the outhouse to warm up.
(Well she didn't really...but I thought that's what she said)
It was really cold out there.
Summer was here one day...
gone the next.
Then, later on, Luke went to the
Apple Valley High School Varsity Soccer game.
Luke's summer traveling team was official ball boys.
They got to shag the balls, and were announced at half time
as State Champions.
He had a blast doing that.
By the way...
this picture was taken when Luke was about 5.
The tattoo around his neck stayed on FOREVER!!
I remember scrubbing him until he was bright red
and it still didn't go away.
He looked like he had ring around the collar for weeks.

This one is for you!!

This picture is quite old of Shari and I.
Look...I was still a big Vikings fan!
I looked through so many pictures to try
and find this picture.
It makes me laugh!
I've been friends with Shari
since I was 16!
I love you Shar!

Pool time in Fall

What an unbelievably gorgeous weekend.
The gorgeous weather made it easier to accept the fact that my Vikings lost today.
Today we cleaned all the leaves out of the pool, and went swimming.
It was 98 degrees in the pool, and 85 degrees out of the pool!
I always know it is time to close the
thing for the season when it looks like
those pictures right after we clean it.
Thinking of going outside right now to swim.
It is 9:00 PM. Night swimming is always so much fun!

This was a relaxing, delightful weekend.
The next weekend, and many more to come,
will be about cleaning up all the leaves in the yard.
When you have 25 trees in your yard....
the fall is a DRAG!!!

Sleep well
Have a great week!

Lakeville South Football Game

Went to the Lakeville South Football Game tonight.
What a gorgeous night for a game.
They beat Bloomington Kennedy in the last 50 seconds of the game.
The final score was 24-20.
It was VERY exciting at the end.
Ryan played in the marching band.
Fun night.
Sleep well!

Brenda and Tracey

We went to Brenda and Tracey's house last night for supper.
Dinner was DELICIOUS!!
We had great conversation,
and were able to completely
catch up!
Daisy, the dog, was very cute, even though
she did sort of stink.
The butter flying off of my bread
and onto Angela's shirt and pants
was by far the funniest thing that has
happened to me in a long time!!
The picture is dark, but it was the best I could do at the time!
Thanks for a great evening ladies.

Who is family?

I was talking to my friend Lynda about family today.
Talking about how hurtful family can be.
Sometimes it is intentional, sometimes it is unintentional.
Many people, many situations.
How different families react to adversity
How different people respond
Talking about family members
who might not have
much to do with you anymore
Can result in such anger at first
Then that moves to hurt and unbelief
AND THEN...eventually....
(even though it still hurts sometimes)
coming to the realization that FAMILY is
looser than what you might have originally defined it.
Family are people who love you!!!
THAT
a true definition of Family!
I have the most wonderful FAMILY in the whole world.
for I am loved
Peace

Pictures

My friend Shari told me that she loved it when I put pictures on my blog.
Now, I am just putting pictures on here to distance myself from the ugly picture of myself that is on here.
The more stuff I put on here...the further away that ugly picture goes...until it is all gone.
Plus, this is a fun picture.
We are having severe weather tonight.
Tornado warnings, flooding, thunder and lightning.
Seems like a good night to hunker down, make some coffee, and watch a few shows on TV.

River Rendezvous

Today the entire 6th grade took a field trip to River Rendezvous days. This is a field trip I plan, and am always glad when it is over. It's stressful to get it all pulled together in the first few BUSY weeks of school. Thankfully Kerry helped me do a bunch of stuff this year with it.
It was a great day. The kids always have a great time there!
We also were entertained by Native Pride Dancers. They were pretty entertaining as well.

My Ugly Picture

I told you it wouldn't be hard to find an ugly picture of me.
And OH MY GOODNESS!!!
I found about the UGLIEST picture ever.
My cousins Kim and Karin are in the background.
This was our obligatory game of Rook before we came home from our
trip to California this past June!

Britney

I pulled this off Plugged In Online. I thought it was very good.

QUOTE: "Who can believe there is anything more to say about Britney Spears at this point. But, alas, there is. Spears has come to represent something—something important enough that it keeps rearing its head. … She embodies the disdain in which this culture holds its young women: the desire to sexualize and spoil them while young, and to degrade and punish them as they get older. Of course, she also represents a youthful feminine willingness—stupid or manipulated as it may be—to conform to the culture's every humiliating expectation of her. ... Sure, she looked better in a bikini than probably 98% of the Americans sitting on their couches and howling at her, but she was no longer porn-star perfect. And in the American lexicon, that equals fat. Wonder why your daughters have eating disorders and hate their bodies? Maybe because they're reading reports that label the thin young women dancing around in a bra and panties physically unappealing and obese. … It's a sickening covenant that seems, more and more, the building block of our pop-culture representation of young femininity."

—Salon contributor Rebecca Traister on Britney Spears' highly criticized "comeback" performance on MTV's 2007 Video Music Awards [salon.com, 9/12/07]

I May Be Dead After This

My friend Shari told me that she loves it when I put pictures on the blog.
I don't have much to say today.
BUT...it was 90 degrees here tonight.
So, I flashed back to a picture taken earlier this summer in my pool.
Angela is going to KILL ME when she sees this on here.
I will look for a bad picture of me to put on the next one.
(It shouldn't be too hard to find one!)

Went to a parenting seminar at Kenwood Trail Middle School in Lakeville tonight.
It was really good. It was put on by Dr. David Walsh. It was titled "NO. Why Kids of All Ages Need it, and Ways We Can Say It. It was very informative. I was really glad I went. NOW, if I can only put into practice what I learned.
I have this book on hold at the library. I am number 17. I'll let you know when it comes up and I can read it.

My Birthday

Yesterday was an awesome day.
Everybody made sure that I had the best day possible.
I woke up to cinnamon rolls and coffee.
When I got out of the shower, my car was being washed.





I went to Caribou for my free Turtle Mocha.
You get a free drink on your birthday.
I got to go to the Parade of Homes. We toured many million dollar homes in Lakeville.
They are just a bit out of my price range...but so much fun to look at.
Then, last night we picked up Ryan and Isaiah and went to Don Pablo's for dinner.
It was delicious.
We came home and Chloe and Angela treated me to a pedicure.
Then we watched The Ultimate Gift.
I got a free video rental from Hollywood Video.
I had just a wonderful day surrounded by the people I love!
41 isn't so bad!

The Cross Family

We had a great time last night. We went out to dinner with our good friends, Mike and Jolyne Cross. They have four lovely children: Quentin, Miranda, Victoria and Kennedy.
There were 10 of us at dinner at Carbone's last night.
We had LOTS of pizza, and lots of laughs.
They even came back to our house afterwards for more quiet conversation. (We sent the kids to the basement!)



Yesterday was also a very fun day because my friends Lori and Lynda left a fun little birthday cake on my desk. Here is a picture of it. I love those two.
Mary, another teacher friend, brought in French Silk Pie from Bakers Square. She brought it in to share with my team at school. It was DELICIOUS! I think I will start a diet NEXT WEEK!

Seth Checked In

I have sent some text messages back and forth with Seth, and we have spoken on the phone one time. Today, however, I got an email from him FINALLY!!!
Gotta love this kid.
Seth writes:


Hey Mom,

I will try and explain exactly what I am doing! It is crazy busy here. Since last Wednesday, 200 kids arrived at AIM for a one week training camp to prepare them for their trip to different countries. Our intern group is on Serve Team which means we are up by 5am and don't leave until 8, 9, or 10 at night. We serve food, clean up dishes, clean bathrooms, bedrooms, the office, refill water around the camp, and anything else they need help with. The day everyone got here, Caleb and I set up 20 tents and made a major path with woodchips. It has been a rough couple days and I still have until next Wednesday. Its hard not to have a bad attitude, but God has been helping me. It's really cool to be apart of such a big movement of people working for Christ! Even though we are in the background, I know we are making a difference.
I miss you so much too and not being at home sucks sometimes. Minnesota is the most beautiful state compared to the states I drove through and Georgia. I know you might not agree but I think so. Caleb and I found a lady who gave us 4 beautiful pieces of furniture from the Pottery Barn. They are 3 sectionals which fit together perfectly...even though they are different colors...it looks like a guys house haha! I miss you guys so much and can't wait for it to be Christmas so I can see you! Pray that the Lord gives me continued strength as I continue to work long hours with limited time for sleep! I love being down here and working for the Lord...I go to bed every night with a good feeling inside.

I love you,

Seth

The Truth?

My friend Karen sent me this link.
I think it may be time to question what our government is telling us.

http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Main

Sydney White

Tonight Chloe and I went to see Sydney White.
The movie opens on September 21, but we had free movie passes.
It was a pretty cute little movie.
It's always fun to do stuff for free.
Amanda Byne's is a cutie.
Anybody with a teenager girl will enjoy this movie.
The good part is that it was a pretty clean movie
Now, I am off to bed.
FRIDAY TOMORROW!!!
YIPPEE!!
Peace out

http://www.sydneywhite.net/

Luke's Soccer

Luke is dressing in the black and orange.
He is playing school soccer
on the 8th grade soccer team.
(This is pretty cool as he is in the 7th grade.)
Luke's game today was a blow out.
Farmington won 9-0.
Luke even scored a goal.
It was a fun game.

Taking Advice

Too funny.
My friend Shari told me that the post from my cousin
was TOO LONG to scroll through!!
She told me to get rid of it.
This blog is completely interactive.
So, I have taken the advice and pulled it off.
Happy Shar?

Deep Thoughts

This was my i-Google Beauty Tip of the Day.
It's true...and important to remember.

Try not to base your self-esteem on your looks, but rather on your personality. If you're the best person you can be, others will see that.

Flashback

My friend, Karen, sent me this picture in a birthday card.
I have no idea how old it is, but it is hilarious.
Look at our hair? Ooh the poof was the best.
Karen said "We must have been going someplace, because look at our clothes."
That's funny all by itself.
Like we look GOOD!
Karen will love that I shared this photo with you all.
Have a laugh on us!

Don't Judge

This is funny!

End of first week

We made it to the end of the first week.
I forgot to take first day of school pictures on Tuesday.
Chloe had to take her own.
Funny story, she put the camera on top of the coffee maker and put it on timer.
The result is funny. BUT, she was very ingenious.




Luke posed for me on the second day. I said a few years from now we would never remember that it was not from the first day of school.

Seth made it to Georgia, and is moving in to his FIRST APARTMENT as I write this. He is so excited.

I am glad this week is over. It has been a LONG and stressful week. I need the weekend to relax and rejuvenate. I hope you all have a delightful weekend.
Peace Out

It happened

It happened
It was supposed to be this way
My little boy no more is off
He made it safely to Indianapolis where he will stay the night

Many friends with the perfect thing to say
Knowing how I would feel today
People like this are imperative
They help you through the tough spots

My other children brought me great smiles
Reminding me that life must continue on
Laughter and spilled soda at dinner
Chaos in the pool

Life is so sweet
Needing to remember to not take it for granted
Stop and smile at the little things
You only get one shot at this life
Make the most of it!

Change

Tonight we went and picked up final items for Seth to leave in the morning.
It is on my shoulders....impending change.
It was in the 90's again today, so we just got inside from an evening swim.
This too will change soon.
Cooler weather on the way.
Swimming will be a memory.
Change is good....
sometimes change feels bad.
Tomorrow comes whether I am ready or not.

First Day of School

Today was a very busy day.
It started out with four teenagers getting ready for school. Ryan started school at 7:00 with his Early Bird class. Luke and I went to school at 7:00. Angela brought Isaiah to school around 7:15, and finally Chloe walked up to school at 7:45 for her 8:00 start. I'm tired just writing all that.

Isaiah and Ryan both had good first days of school. They were happy to see their friends.
Luke had a good day also, and he really liked his teachers. (Lori and Lynda...he loved you both!) He is bummed that none of his friends are in his house, but besides that...
Chloe had a less than great day. It's tough to start high school as the new girl. She didn't talk to anybody all day. It's very sad. We keep telling her it will get better. The absolute answer to prayer was that Ryan, bless his little heart, found Chloe alone at lunch and sat with her. This saved her from sitting by herself during lunch as well. It brought tears to my eyes when he told me that he sought her out. He is a good boy!

Tonight our whole family went to Cheesecake Factory for a final whole group dinner. We never have everybody together. SO, Angela and her boys, and I and my brood piled in the minivan and drove up to Edina. We STUFFED our faces. We had great conversations, and decided that we are really going to miss Seth. (He leaves on Thursday) Tonight was not about being sad, however. It was about enjoying each other's company.

Now, I must get ready for bed, as I am EXHAUSTED after a very full day.

Bittersweet

Had a great time at the cabin over the weekend. The kids were on the boat the entire time. I was on quite a bit as well, but not as much as they were.






The weather was wonderful, and it was great to be back at the cabin. I haven't been there in a few years.
The end of summer is always bittersweet.
It's nice to get back to a routine. I think it's good for everyone to have a schedule.
BUT, it's always sad to say goodbye to the nice weather, the pool, and the lazy days of unscheduled activities.
My folks were very hospitable, and we ate like it was our last meal....all weekend.
Thanks Mom and Dad for a great weekend.

Lynda's House

Last night supper
We met new friends
Lots of laughter and smiles
Faces hurt from smiling too much

Lynda had great food
We brought baby potato salad
Angela didn't like it
We didn't bring any home

Interesting stories
How we all met
Many commonalities
Friendships that are born