Yes!  A female conservative in the race.  I like the concept, now just have to find out more about her.  It really sounds like a smart choice for McCain.

And that's about as much politics as you get from me.  I hope by now you know that I don't believe in killing unborn babies and it annoys me when people like Hillary call the pro-death people "for women".  Let me just say that this woman gets annoyed at that.  OK.  End of vent.

Some pictures.

We've been married 31 years - can you say forever?  Dave asked me on our anniversary if I remembered not being married.  Not really.  I was 21 when I tied the knot, so all of my adult memories include him.

Michelle and Skyler - look how long he's getting.

And my personal reason why I don't think abortion is a good idea.

I rest my case.

Dave and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary last night with dinner at Bonefish, followed by seeing MacBeth at ND.  I'm not sure I would recommend that play to couples trying to get romantic (LOL) but it was done very well and we enjoyed it.  It was the first time either of us had ever seen that particular peice by Bill.

Today is mimiwi's

birthday.  Go on over to her site and wish her well if you know her.  She is such a sweetheart and one of the xangaites that I have met in person even though I didn't know her before blogging with her.

Yesterday during the day I went to Wellfield Botanic Gardens with one of my garden clubs.  You probably haven't heard of it - that's because it's still under construction.  What a fascinating thing, to watch such a visionary endeavor, see the long term plans and help dream about what it will become.  We usually go to botanical gardens that are well-established.  This one we got to see from the beginning.  We'll go back every year and see how it developes and changes.  It will be one of the things we support.

Michelle and the boys are supposed to come over today - I haven't seen them since Monday - that's a long time for us!  I've been impressed that she's been able to stay away!  It's funny that I miss them when I don't see them.

Got to do some work around here.  Aparently my cleaning fairies have failed to show themselves.  Again.  It's hard to get good help!

Nothing is really happening.  No pictures. 

That's not really true.  I had to see a urologist today and, as it turns out, I'm going to have to have surgery for a prolasped bladder.  I know TMI.  But if I can't tell you, who can I tell?

The actual surgery is over a month away.  Before that can happen I have to undergo a number of tests, including ultrasounds.  That's the only one I'd ever heard of before.

So, meanwhile I'll go on with my life.

I'm having a board meeting here in about an hour.  Tomorrow will be a busy day.  First a trip to Wellfield Gardens in Elkhart with my garden club, then dinner and MacBeth with my hubby to celebrate 31 years of wedded bliss.I  keep telling him to fugedabod trading me in for a new model - it would take at least 2 26-year-olds to make up for one of me!  Grin!

Guess that's about all.  I will try to make it over to find some of you with more exciting things going on!

I have no idea why xanga sometimes drops the ball when downloading a video.  I had to do this one again.

 

I put these up mostly for my mom.  I don't expect the rest of you to be as enthused as she is!!!!   LOL

That's what Michelle always called Lake Michigan so it's stuck.  Anyway, we went to the beach on Saturday - hot sun, cold water!  Michelle, the kids and I drove up Friday and DAve and Sam drove up together after work.

On the way there, Ken called, and Kaden insisted on talking to his Uncle Kenny.

I took a nap too, but I think my neck was in better form than Skyler's!

Michelle looks really good for having a baby 6 weeks ago!

I'm subbing for the first time this school year tomorrow.  I also have another job in two weeks.  Both at the alternate high school.  I like it there.  No jobs yet at the math department!

I uploaded a video but it's not completely here yet.

 

So Michelle told me I have to blog about the Amish food fight.

This is the cake Katie made just for Susan.

She's not sure....

Now we're getting the idea!

Kaden digs in.

Yup, toward the end of Susan's 1st birthday party some of the grown-up Amish got hold of her cake and used it as amunition.

A brother and two sisters are the main contenders.

The floor

One dress

I almost got it but I'm fast!

Michelle wasn't so lucky.

Peter came with us.  He's got a photographic gig for the Elmhurst chamber of commerce so he needed to take some pictures of Amish kids.

He got a few, but I don't have them here.

Katies garden.  The purple is cockscomb.  She hardly planted any vegetables - that was always Merlin's job.

So there you have it - the Amish are just as silly as the rest of us!

PS - the only reason I didn't get cake in the face is because the male participant knew I was way older than he and also, he couldn't catch me!

I think I'm going with the Poke weed.  That seems to be the consenses on Dave's garden too.

School started here on Wednesday.  What's with that?  I have no idea.  So most of the neighbor kids are in school all day.  But the grade school lets out at 2:30 so Kaden will still be able to play with them in the afternoon.

Here he is with the two youngest grands from next door.   They like to come in our house and play with the brio trains.

I'm going to go to Kaden's aunt's first birthday party tonight.  Yup, that's right.  Susan turns one today!  Sam's only sibling.  I'll post pictures of the kids.  None of the Amish kids mind having their pictures taken.  Some of the adults don't mind either, but you have to be careful and always ask first.  Katie never seems to mind, but Merl did - which was his choice.  Only, now that he's gone, Katie is craving any remembrance of him that we managed to get.  I did get a couple at the wedding reception, accidentally while I was taking pictures of other people.

So I'm going to make a big fruit salad so I'll have at least one thing I can eat there.  I think I've mentioned before how badly this particular order of Amish eat - very heavy on starches, sugars, cheeses, etc.  Not a healthy vegetable to be seen!  LOL.  Except I'm serious.

Can anyone tell me the name of this weed?

entire plant                                                                                                root portion

I get a lot of these and I don't know what they're called.

I got to hold the little guy for quite awhile this evening.

He surely has pinch-able cheeks!

I just got an email from one of my former neighbors in Bruce Lake.  His wife, my friend, Diane, passed away last night from cancer.  She had been under hospice card for the past week.  She first got breast cancer about six years ago, went through chemo and radiation, was Ok for a short while, then got brain cancer.  When we were there over the 4th, we stopped over at their house.  Diane was moving very slowly and thinking even slower.  It was painful and sad to watch her.  So I wasn't surprised last when I returned home from Wisconsin to find the email saying she was on hospice.

Diane and I shared a lot of good memoried over the years.  Her only daughter is just 8 months older than my son.  And Diane got me my first job teaching math at Morton College.  She loved horses and dogs.  I will miss her.

Don didn't know yet when the funeral will be but I will be there if at all possible.

I am very sad.  The hardest part for me is not knowing if she was a born-again Christian.  She and Don talked about God, but very new-agey.  She grew up Catholic, so I hope that at some point she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  I think I wouldn't be so sad if I knew for sure she was in heaven.  The Lord knows and I will leave it there. 

Yesterday was Ken's 24th birthday.  I'm in denial.  How can that even be?

We went to Red Lobster for dinner.  There were nine of us.  The seven regulars (Dave, Ken, Michelle, Sam, Kaden, Skyler and Me) plus my mil and sil.  They drove down for the day. 

MIL and Linda

Sam and Michelle gave Ken a stack of singles and Kaden thought Uncle Ken ought to share.  No one could figure out why a 2 year old would want money!

He spent much of the evening riding horsie on babop, then later on Ken.  Too much fun was had by all!