Secrets and Surprise!

I've been keeping a secret for 2 months.

I've been hiding my cell phone and erasing texts.

The Funk's always spend the 4th of July with us. Each year Ashley is disappointed that she can't join them. This year she caught her grandpa at a good time and got permission to come! She wanted so badly to surprise the girls. I was willing to keep the secret. It was hard, but as these pictures show, it was so worth it.

Well That Didn't Work Out

While at Home Depot today I saw this.Anyone see a problem with it? I always thought it was 'Crepe'. I had a post all worked up in my head and couldn't wait to come home and mock the employee that didn't know how to spell it.

Well...after some research I can't prove that that is the wrong spelling. Apparently they are both acceptable. So...I really have nothing to say here. This post might be the most boring one to date.

Still there?

So I'll just show you a pretty picture of one of our four Crepe/Crape Myrtles. See, the flowers look like crepe paper. I stand by my spelling. Besides, when I read Crape...I kind of say 'crap' first. Hee hee.

8th grade self

As a fun assignment in 5th grade the students write a note to their 8th grade selves. During the last week of school they went to their 5th grade teachers classroom and picked them up. I happened to be in the hall when a group of girls were reading theirs. Laughter was uncontrollable. I read a few lines of one and cracked up. I couldn't wait to read McKinley's.

I pounced on her as soon as we got home and she said she wanted to read it to us.

After I heard one of the sentences I knew why she'd wanted to read it to me. I underlined it for you.

Whoa. Is that not weird?? We didn't like or dislike him but we never listened to his music. She has no idea why she put that.

Later that week their 8th grade teacher had them write a note to their senior self. When she got home and told me I had to ask...."Who'd you kill this time??"

I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.

Send Help

Even though I'm still feeling rotten, I have no time to be sick.

This is waiting for me.

Mocking me.

Calling my name.

Laughing in my face.Send help.

Send detergent.

Send vinegar.

Send strength.

Send reinforcements.

Send an exorcist.

Or a priest.

But not my pastor. He doesn't need to see this.

Goodbye forever.

Strep Stinking Throat

The first time I had strep throat I was a freshman in high school. I thought I was going to die. I stayed in bed for days with a cup to spit into because there was no way I was going to swallow. And why is it when you have razor blades in your throat, you make tons of saliva? Just because it was yearbook picture time, I also developed scarlatina, a rash that can go along with it. I am probably the only person that can tell, but in all the group pictures I don't look quite right. I also was the only person wearing a turtleneck.

Since that first time I've had strep at least twice, some times three times, for 23 years. When I was 18 I started the campaign to get my tonsils taken out. 3 years, 3 doctors, and 3 no's later I gave up. They all said that because of my 'advanced age' it wasn't safe. Hello! Since when is 18-21 advanced?? My point was that every day that I kept them I was getting older. I had proven that I had strep enough, why wouldn't they do it?? One doctor even told me that if I didn't have tonsils I'd get more upper respiratory infections. So?? I'd trade that for strep!

When I was pregnant with McKinley I tested positive for strep b. Apparently my body just likes strep. Since I'm a strep carrier I always have the lovely bacteria living in the back of my throat. My doctor doesn't even swab my throat anymore, he just knows. I'm happy about that. I don't know anyone who enjoys a throat swab. I just gagged myself and made myself throw up while brushing my teeth. Large tonsils are annoying.

I am sitting here now with strep for the second time this year. It's June. I hate to think how many more times I'll get it.

I'm frightened Auntie Em.

And of all times! I'm still working through my to-do list to get ready for family to come in town. But...there's different family coming in two days! Because of my aunt's funeral on Saturday I have a cousin coming to stay with us Friday. And we're having about 15 cousins for dinner and dessert that night. Let's just say, the to-do list is not done. I can pull some things off that will make it look like I finished the list, but the strep throat is kind of hampering that.

Wish me luck and pass the antibiotics!

I Hate to Grill

I hate the burst of the flame.

I hate the heat on my arms.

I like having hair on my arms.

I hate to sweat while cooking.

I hate not knowing when stuff is done.

I hate cleaning the grill afterward.

But...

When it turns out deliciousall is forgiven.

Why I Love Summer-3

Lazy weekend nights around the fire pit with pretty girls. Hot dogs. And of course marshmallows. And evidence that the fire two nights earlier was under the Magnolia and not out in the open.My awesome camera. I didn't use the Nifty Fifty for this either. I'm just getting so good that I have some skills. And when we've eaten our fill, we head to the sand volleyball court at the local college.Reagan was congratulated by all the players after her serve bounced off the head of the guy in front of her, ricocheted over the net, and the hit the ground in the court because the entire group was laughing.Speaking of some serious skills. After a while Kennedy had to get in on the fun. The teenagers weren't willing to sacrifice their bodies to make the play.

Shawn was. Oh summer loving...

Why I Love Summer-2

After my workout this morning it was so beautiful that I made some coffee, grabbed my laptop, and spent some quality time bonding with an adirondack chair poolside. When two of the girls friends came over for the day McKinley volunteered to make Chocolate Chip Pancakes for the bunch.

Grilled.

As I sat and blogged they had a delicious summer outdoor breakfast.

After eating, instead of jumping in the pool, they decided to climb the tree. I climbed this same tree when I was a little girl growing up across the street. I still am bitter about a small branch ripping the entire length of the leg of my brand new corduroy pants. The matching vest just didn't go with anything else. Don't you just love remembering late 70's fashion? Me neither. McKinley though, wasn't happy with just going a little way up the tree. As she went higher and higher she started telling me where to go to get the best picture.

This is from the next door neighbors yard.Think we need to re-paint the house?? Me, too.

But soon she'd gone higher and sent me past the neighbors yard, across the street, and into another yard. Still can't see her? Does this help? Oh how I love summer!

The Meeting

The first of May found me headed south to the Dallas area. I have never driven there alone before and when my GPS in my car didn't recognize the street I was going to I must admit I was a little extra nervous. Thankfully my phone is more up to date.

I couldn't wait to meet Amy! We'd done lots of planning and lots of chatting and it was finally happening. Our cousin Renee was driving in from Houston as well and would get to spend some time with us. As a bonus, two of Amy's sisters lived in the Dallas area. We were looking at some serious family bonding. When one of Renee's sisters joined us on our last night, I was completely overwhelmed with gratitude to God and Facebook for getting this all together. We were so sad that Robin couldn't be there though. Albuquerque is just too stinking far away!

I apparently was traveling at the perfect time for Oklahoma wildflowers.Since I had plenty of time I took some time to stop and smell (well photograph) the flowers.I got to the hotel in plenty of time and sat in the parking lot waiting. I had no idea what car Amy was coming in, or which direction, but I parked where I could see all entrances. Since I had some spare time on my hands I decided to pluck my eyebrows. Natural light is the absolute best I must say. So when Amy and her son T. J. got there I greeted them with nicely shaped eyebrows. I'm always thinking of others:)

We settled into our hotel, Amy made a few phone calls, and soon we were having another reunion. Amy's sisters Ruth and Priya (and Priya's boyfriend Michael) picked us up and we all went to dinner.

I had been at a reunion with Priya when I was a newlywed and she was 12. She's grown up a bit:) We all talked so much we hardly had time to eat! They all grew up as missionaries and have lived ALL over the world. Their early years were so vastly different from mine and it completely fascinated me. Because Amy has six children (two that are already in college) I assumed she was quite a bit older than me. But no, we're the same age! She married incredibly young and had children quickly, and back to back. But she is years older than me in maturity. At the age that she was married and had 4 children, I was hitting the mall and worried that my three level bangs didn't have enough Aqua Net in them to last the whole day. Go read her blog and see how different our lives still are.

Aren't we a good looking bunch? Ruth, Amy, and I stayed up that night talking and looking at all the family history books and pictures I'd brought until, oops, 4 am. Poor Ruth only got a few minutes sleep before she had to wake her family up and start her day. Amy and I got a little more sleep, but not much!

If you're in Dallas, you have to go to Sam Moon. I'd told Amy I wanted to go to the jewelry store. Since she lives in Africa she's not familiar with the large, super center, really cheap, overwhelming, jewelry franchises. She didn't say it until later, but she didn't know why I wanted to go jewelry shopping. After getting lost, something that happens a lot in Dallas, we finally found Sam Moon. Since the town is growing so fast there is always something under construction. And they rename streets constantly! Not even the GPS on my phone can keep up. What should have taken 20 minutes took almost an hour. I almost kissed the ground outside Sam Moon when we finally got there. Amy was still unsure, but after looking at a few prices, she was all in!! T. J. however, was not impressed. The cross dressers helping each other pick hair extensions finally got him more excited about being there.

Renee joined us that night and we headed out to eat again. So far I'd eaten at Olive Garden for dinner, Pei Wei for lunch, and Chili's for the another dinner. I was in heaven. We only eat out once a week because of money and my food allergies so this was a special treat for me! Add in seven cousins and I was feeling so blessed!After another night of staying up late chatting with Renee, it was time to head home. We took a few pictures, hugged a bunch, made promises to keep in touch, and headed our separate ways.

Of the original 11 Stone children, we represented three sisters. Only Amy's grandmother is still living. The two bloggers. We were really missing Robin at this point:(
And can we discuss the fatness of my upper arms?? I work out six days a week with weights and they still look like that. I need to wear long sleeves year round.

As I headed up I-35 I was a little misty but I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend with them. Amy only comes to the states every two years but the other cousins have promised to consider coming to the next reunion. I'm in charge this time and I'm picking a place that's close to Oklahoma and Texas. Our generation doesn't usually come and I'm determined to get them excited about it! With Facebook to keep everyone linked together, it better happen!

Did you all hear that???

What I Love About Summer

Fresh produce!

It's that time of year. Green Beans and Purple Hull Peas are in the store I shop at the Farmer's Market.

This is how we've always done it.

Old pool towels on the kitchen floor and three beautiful assistants.

My snappers. And my huller.And before you get impressed with all the fresh veggies we eat....I have something to confess...both items were slow cooked on the stove...with...bacon grease. I know, I know. But trust me, it makes them so good!!

Shawn worked late that night and we ate everything. Sorry honey. I promise we'll make more!