Results tagged “Melissa”

So, Saturday morning, the kids and I were up and early. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the Golden Corral, then we went to register with a local homeschool co-op. I wish now I had registered a couple of months ago. It turns out the perk of registering is that you get to be in the first group to sign up for the next semester's classes. I arrived at 10 (when registration began) and there were already a dozen people in front of me and that didn't even matter because 2 of the three classes that Katrina was interested in were already full! Dang it! But, we registered and we chose the classes because they told us that there are usually some who sign up and then things change over the summer. So the class we know Katrina will get into is Karate. We are hoping Guitar and Junior Acting will open up.

While I stood in line, the kids perused the book/curriculum sale. We were looking for Saxon Geometry in particular for Jack and Katrina was just looking. She found a book to read and Jack found a book called the Atlas of World History. The kid is a history buff. Daniel treated us to lunch from Papa John's and I spent the afternoon cleaning dishes and baking brownies and making jigglers for the cook-out on Sunday.

Sunday morning, we were at church at 8:45. Enjoyed another good message. I really am loving Blue Ridge Community Church. I feel uplifted and enlightened every week. Then, we came home and I prepared baked beans, did a bunch of dishes and got things set up for the cook-out.

From about 1:30 until after midnight we entertained my Bruce, Ryan, Charles, Ashley, Therese, Joy, David, Jonathan, Dakota, Paul, and Faye. We had a good time eating good food, visiting, and playing games. Several of us played PIT and Settlers of Catan. The only downside for me was missing Tess. She normally is here this time of year and I missed having her help and just missed her presence.

We slept in on Monday and spent the day doing odds and ends (I had dishes and cleaning up to do from the cook-out). I took Jack and Katrina to a friend's house for a cook-out and pool time. I took Daniel to pick up his rental car for the week and then he and I watched Crazy Heart. Very good movie. Jeff Bridges has a lot of talent and range!

Today, Daniel was back on the road to Raleigh. I was doing chores. I have done laundry, mowed, groomed the dogs, and put more tick powder and bedding in their dog houses. I have taken care of some odds and ends and took the kids to piano lessons. I have checked school work and prepared for tomorrow's assignments. About 7 pm, I was ready to go to bed. Jack looked at me and said...but it's only 7! I said, but I am tired!

When, oh when is someone going to learn to bottle the energy of a child and give it to adults??? Well, the hot tub is calling...

Katrina and I enjoy taking photos. We think some of them are good. So, when we heard about the Campbell County Art Show, we both wanted to give it a whirl. There were over 180 pieces of art entered in the show. There were student divisions (ages 5-10 and 11-17), and these were further broken down based on medium. Then there were categories for Novice (never entered an art show), Amateur and Professional. And these were also sorted by medium.

Pictures were to be dropped off between 8 and 9, then the judging would begin. Then at 1:30, winners would be announced. Katrina and I were going to go home between drop off time and announcement time, but there were so many beautiful pieces of art work to see and we were having fun hanging out with some friends of ours that were there, so we just stayed. We left for a bit to get some water and hit a couple of yard sales, then we came back.

I am a task oriented person and I am also the type of person who can always think of things that I would like to do or need to do. I haven't been bored since I was in high school and shake my head in wonder when anyone says they are bored...

So this week, I took one more week off from homeschooling, because last week, I spent the week catching up on things I hadn't done all fall. My desk got cleared off and rearranged. I emptied out a file cabinet because we aren't using it anymore and we will be putting a desk there for Katrina. I took down the Christmas decorations and did a bunch of other stuff that I can't even remember now. So I decided this week, I would finish up the few things I had left, then I would spend the rest of the time playing with the kids and my new Christmas presents.

Well, the first snag in that theory was this week, we had somewhere to go every afternoon! Monday afternoon was piano. Tuesday afternoon we had to take Plato to the vet and I had to take care of some business at the bank. Wednesday afternoon, we went to a homeschool game time and we went shopping for groceries and so forth. Today, we had our 4H meeting and tomorrow we are going to visit other friends and have supper with Bruce and Ryan and visit with them some.

I didn't blog much last month. I was so busy with normal holiday stuff and extra stuff going on (like travelling to Illinois), that there just wasn't time left to blog. So I figure pictures are worth a thousand words and I found a bunch of photos on my camera. I uploaded them to Flickr if you care to go and take a peek.

From a family gathering at Thanksgiving (where we enjoyed the hot tub, the fire pit, good food and Rock Band) to Katrina's first cookie exchange to a week long trip to Illinois to not one, not two but four different Christmas celebrations....you will see we were busy, but having a blast! Things not pictured include two recitals and a Christmas program and a 4-H Christmas party.... And I didn't take any photos of my final two paralegal classes...

But for those of you who want to see the photos, go check out my flickr account. I labeled the pictures to help you know what was what...

There were days where I met myself coming in as I was going out and I was thinking that I might lose my mind, but all in all, while this past fall has been one of the busiest I have lived through, it has also been one of the best with lots of time with family, meeting new friends and realizing that my 'old brain' still could learn.

I am looking forward to busy times ahead and will try to touch base from time to time so you will know that I am still alive and well! Already, I am looking at next week...Sunday night Awanas starts back up, Monday piano starts back up, Tuesday Plato has to go for his rabies shot, Wednesday we have homeschool game day, Thursday we have 4-H and Friday we have plans to get together with friends.....yikes!!!!!! so much for starting back slowly!

Blessings and Happy New YEar!

Well, we spent our New Year's Eve evening playing Electronic Monopoly (way fun!), Hangman, Halo, and coloring. We toasted in the New Year with sparkling grape juice (and then I stayed awake until 3:30 working on my Viva Pinata Garden!) Don't tell the kids, I made them go to bed at 1:00!

My New Year's Resolution is:

Not to have any New Year's Resolutions this year.

Phew! I have already accomplished it! Yeah me!!!!!

The end of the year is always a time for introspecition and retrospection. When I was a teenager growing up, I would read through all of my previous diaries and remind myself of events that had come and gone. I would also sit and look through photo albums. I don't do that anymore, mainly because it would take days to go through 42 years of memories like that. And because my life always seems so full, I would rather be looking forward than backward. But as I was visiting bloggy friends last week, I stopped by Israeli Mom and that led to the post that I am also posting today, the last day of 2008. That was a list of 100 things I want to do in my lifetime. I used her hubby's list to get started with. She had also used that list and had marked through things she had already done. I decided to create two lists. One of things I have done and one of things I still would like to do.

In 42 1/2 years of life, I have been very blessed and have done a lot of things. This list is of the things I have already done. Just in case someday, my kids are interested in knowing.

1. Visited Paris and other parts of France


2. Spent my 30th birthday in Las Vegas


3. Have flown in a private plane


4. Been to the top of the Eiffel tower


5. Been to the top of the Champs D'lysees


6. Been to the top of the Sears Tower


7. Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch


8. Visited Hilton Head Island


9. Visited Mrytle Beach


10. Visited Charleston, SC


11. Visited Savannah, GA


12. Been to Bush Gardens, Williamsburg


13. Been to Kings Dominion


14. Been to Cypress Gardens (both old and new) in Florida


15. Held a baby crocodile


16. Visited Bangor, Maine and Acadia National Park


17. Visited Winnipeg, Canada


18. Visited Washington, DC


19. Explored Colonial Williamsburg


20. Explored Jamestown and Yorktown, VA


21. Saw the Chincoteague, VA pony swim


22. Saw the Lippizaner Stallions perform


23. Attended and graduated from The College of William and Mary
    
24. Visited Tallahasee, Daytona, Fort Lauderdale, and Bowling Green, FL


25. Spent a weekend in Orlando, FL at the Swan hotel at a conference


26. Visited Alburquerque, New Mexico


27. Visited Boulder, Durango, Estes Park, and Denver, Colarado


28. Visited the Grand Canyon


29. Visited Flagstaff, AZ


30. Visited the Lowell Observatory


31. Have visited every cavern in the state of Virginia


32. Visited Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Napa Valley, CA


33. Visited Lake Powell


34. Visited Monument Valley


35. Visited Crater Lake


36. Visited Sunset Crater


37. Visited the Painted Desert


38. Visited the Petrified Forest


39. Visited Chicago


40. Visited St. Louis


41. Spent a week on the shores of Lake Michigan


42. Visited Springfield, IL and the Abraham Lincoln Museum


43. Lived in Connecticut


44. Saw the Rockettes perform the Christmas Spectacular at Radio Music Hall


45. Visited the World Trade Center


46. Toured New York City


47. Visited Boston, MA


48. Visited Newport, Rhode Island


49. Visited Ben and Jerry factory


50. Rode the tram to Sandea Peak, NM


51. Visited Ocean City, MD


52. Visited Cape Canaveral, FL


53. Rode across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel


54. Got married - twice


55. Gave birth to a son and daughter


56. Have seen two feet of snow at once


57. Been flying in a single engine plane - with my hubby as pilot


58. Have visited numerous zoos and aquariums


59. Have had articles I have written published


60. Have ridden a ferry


61. Have had my own business (everything from selling tupperware to having bubblegum machines to selling on ebay


62. Met Mike Huckabee


63. Met Glenn Close


64. Met Jerry Baliles


65. Met Kenny Rogers' cousin


66. Met Mark Warner


67. Have owned my own home


68. Have received a speeding ticket


69. Have had to testify in court


70. Have seen CATS performed live


71. Have seen Les Miserables performed live


72. Have owned a Monte Carlo SS


73. Have been robbed


74. Have been in a car accident


75. Have seen Billy Idol, Chicago, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, John Mellancamp, Shaun Cassidy, Charlie Rich, and Journey in concert


76. Have owned a brand new car: 1989 Mitsubishi Precis


77. Wild Side Tour in Cave of the Winds in Colorado


78. Got married in the Wren Building


79. Got married in a little church on the side of the Peaks of Otter


80. Have climbed Sharp Top and watched the sun come up


81. Have walked the the beach at sunrise and sunset


82. Have hiked along the Appalachain trail


83. Have been to the top of Pikes Peak


84. Have sang in talent shows


85. Have had my picture in the newspaper


86. Have had my picture (along with Jack and Katrina) in a museum brochure


87. Have been quoted in the newspaper


88. Started a Freecycle List


89. Planned a surprise birthday party


90. Have had broken bones (finger and two toes)


91. Have had surgery


92. Have gone to a drive-in theater


93. Have stayed at a Bed and Breakfast (more than one, actually)


94. Have eaten in a 5 star restaurant (Inn at Little Washington)


95. Have eaten escargot, ostrich, and bison


96. Have cut down my own Christmas tree


97. Have worked as a telemarketer


98. Have worked as a manager


99. Have worked as a Child Development Instructor


100. Have driven a boat on a local lake

I ran into a fun post at Israeli Mom. She has a list of 100 things that a fellow blogger did and she marked through the things she had done and bolded the things she wants to do. I thought it would be fun to make a list of my own...so here goes. 100 things I would like to do before I die.

1. Visit Hawaii


2. Visit the Pyramids


3. Visit Greece


4. Visit Australia


5. Visit Disney World


6. Visit The British Isles


7. Visit Germany


8. Visit Switzerland


9. Take a cruise to Alaska


10. Take a cruise on a paddleboat


11. Spend a romantic weekend at The Poconos with Daniel


12. Take some art classes


13. Learn how to play the piano


14. Exercise regularly


15. Visit the Statue of Liberty


16. Take a train trip across the country.


17. Learn how to quilt


18. Play with my grandchildren (when I have them)


19. Go on a camping trip


20. See a play on Broadway


21. Go on a safari


22. Learn how to snorkle


23. Play a marathon game of monopoly


24. Go skinny dipping


25. Meet a President of the United States


26. Ride in a gondola in Venice


27. See a total eclipse


28. Get a lottery ticket that wins more than $50


29. Visit Yellowstone


30. Spend a night in a museum


31. Volunteer at the library


32. Go to a Pow-Wow


33. Become a certified Paralegal


34. Go Deep Sea fishing


35. Participate in an archaeology dig


36. Go to space camp


37. Ride through the snow in a horse drawn sleigh


38. Hit a Jackpot in Vegas


39. See a ghost


40. Spend a weekend on a sail boat


41. Buy a stranger a meal at a restaurant


42. Spend a week on a houseboat


43. Walk on a beach by moonlight


44. Get a makeover and have a photoshoot


45. Have my portrait painted


46. Spend a week at a secluded beach


47. Find a hidden treasure


48. Drive a Lambroghini


49. Spend a winter weekend at a ski resort


50. Attend a grand ball


51. Visit the White House


52. Go to a drive-in theater with my kids


53. Act in a play


54. Visit the Aquarium in Atlanta


55. Live in a Victorian House


56. Take a ballroom dance class


57. Join a book discussion group


58. Serve at a soup kitchen


59. Learn how to Square Dance


60. Whale Watching


61. Get flowers for no reason


62. Eat a meal prepared by a world class chef


63. Build a snow fort with my kids


64. Ride on a motorcycle


65. Spend a week working in a planetarium


66. Have a white Christmas


67. Fly in a helicopter


68. Meet Johnny Depp


69. Sing a solo in front of an audience


70. Renew my wedding vows


71. Eat a dish that involves truffles (you know the really expensive truffles)


72. Purchase and restore a 1975 Monte Carlo


73. Purchase and restore a 1984 Monte Carlo SS


74. Learn to play handbells


75. See the Changing of the Guards in London


76. See the Northern Lights


77. Visit Antarctica


78. Visit islands in the Carribbean


79. Be Queen for a day - not with the decisions, but with the trappings


80. Make a really good snowman


81. Fly in a private jet


82. Go to Oktoberfest in Germany


83. Go to a big New Year's Eve Party


84. Go to an adult Halloween party


85. Visit the White House


86. Live in a penthouse suite for a week


87. Ride first class on a trip overseas


88. Save someone’s life


89. Sit on a jury


90. Visit Hershey, PA


91. Meet Stephen King


92. Go to a mystery dinner theater


93. Go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras


94. Visit a Presidential library


95. Go to a Christmas Eve Midnight Mass


96. Spend a night in a haunted house


97. Visit the Ozarks


98. Take a year travel trip across the U.S. in a RV


99. Have a surprise birthday party


100. Publish a book

We all have traditions of various kinds this time of year.

Today the kids and I have cleaned up their rooms (got to get them ready for the influx of new gifts). Katrina and I went out for a few last minute items at Krogers and enjoyed being in the hustle and bustle of the day.

We came home and watched Die Hard (one of hubby's favorite Christmas movies). We have watched Polar Express and before the evening is out, we will watch A Christmas Story and The Grinch Stole Christmas. We will read Luke 2, Twas the Night before Christmas, and Santa and The Christ Child. We will listen to a CD of Christmas carols that we have and marvel over songs from centuries past. We will hope the children will go to sleep quickly so we can put the presents under the trees.

This year we are having our neighbors over for present exchange and some Christmas goodies.

Whatever your Christmas Eve traditions are, I hope you are having a blessed and wonderful day with your family and friends!

I saw this fun quiz over at Lessons Learned onthe Farm. Why don't you give it a try and figure out what character you are!

Which Christmas Character Are You?

My Results:

Mrs. Claus

That's right — your unwavering support, hospitality, and comforting touch have landed you the important role of Mrs. Claus. You know how to take good cheer and deliver it wherever you go, spreading warmth even on the coldest winter days.

You know, these flat states are very, very windy!!!! Doesn't matter what time of year it is, there always seems to be a nice breeze, or a steady wind blowing. Today in Bloomington, the winds are roaring through with gusts up to 40 mph! Katrina and I went out for a bit and a gust just about ripped the truck door out of my hands! We are expecting a wintry mix tonight (hey, we can get that at home in Virginia!), but they are calling for an inch of snow and maybe a couple of inches of snow on Tuesday. We head home on Thursday. I have asked Daniel to drive back with us. It is just such a long drive and I don't like driving in this wintery weather.

I am feeling better, though not 100%, but at least I do feel better. Almost human again! Must say the mochas from Starbucks really make my throat feel better!

Today, Katrina and I went out to get a few things. She was looking around on the internet and found a recipe for making some pet treats. So we picked up the ingredients for that. We also picked up her present for Santa as we had forgotten to get that when I took the kids Christmas shopping last week. She has bought a present each year for Santa for several years. An extra Santa hat and various Christmas ornaments. This year, she got five small ornaments that are from the characters in Rudolph-the Red Nosed Reindeer. Santa always leaves her a thank you note. The other thing we were looking for was a winter coat.

I was looking in Lynchburg before we came here to Bloomington. We didn't get a lot of time to look and only made it to Walmart. They had one, yes, one winter coat for girls!!!!! IOt was pink with "Virginia Tech" written on it! What in the world????? There were plenty of coats for young men and I had no problem getting a nice one for Jack. So Katrina and I figured there would be a better selection here in Illinois...and guess what!? We were right, there were rows and rows of coats and she found a very cute pink one that came with a brown scarf and mittens.

This afternoon we are going to go see Madagascar 2. I really want to go to see Australia, maybe sometime over the holidays when Daniel is home.

Well, the Xterra finally seems to be better. First they took it and called me to tell me the head gasket was blown, which as I posted previously, was covered under the generous warranty my mom and stepfather provided. Mom came and picked me up to go get my truck on Friday (yes, I spent a whole week driving the 1988 Suburban...affectionally known as The Tank). We keep it around for snowy weather, hauling big stuff and because it is green and gold (William and Mary colors). But I digress. We got there, the Xterra was ready to go. Thanked Mom for the lift (a big deal, she lives 30 minutes from me and then it was another 40 minutes to the car dealer).

First stop was the bank. I noticed while I was in drivethru that the car was idling rough. Since they had replaced the timing belt, I figured the timing was off and thought I would call them when I got home. As I had a busy day. I needed to get home and make cookies for a cookie exchange that Katrina and I were going to. I continued homeward, but within 10 minutes, it was obvious something was wrong. Different Idiot Lights started flashing, then the ABS light came on and stayed on, but when dim whenever I used the brakes. I pulled into a parking lot and called the garage. After not being able to get anyone in service to take my call. I called my mom back and asked her to come meet us back at the Xterra place (fortunately, she wasn't all the way home yet). We turned around and went back. I pulled into the garage, turned off the vehicle and went to complain...loudly, all the while thinking about the cookies I needed to make. The technician went out to take the Xterra for a drive (so he could see what I was seeing) and the battery was dead! They jump started it and drove it into the garage. Turns out, they had not tightened a bolt in the alternator when putting everything back and it drained the battery. EGADS!

It was almost one o'clock when we got home, and then I had to work on those cookies (we were leaving at 3). Turns out, one should read the complete recipe before actually making the cookies. The dough had to be made, then chilled for two to three hours before the next step! I quickly looked through my Christmas cookie recipes, found one I had the ingredients for, then called the hostess to make sure that no one else was making them (as she wanted no duplicate recipes), no one was, so we were in business. The last cookies came out of the oven at 2:55 pm and we had a great time at the cookie exchange!!!!

Well, technically out of 1015. What the heck am I talking about, you are wondering? Well, on Wednesday night, I received my final scores for my paralegal class. For the semester, we had ten tests/assignments. Each counted as 10% of our grade. On three of the tests, our teacher gave us 5 bonus questions, so the real possible score for the semester was 1015. But for the purpose of the office book keeping records, I got 999 right out of 1000 for the semester! WOW! That grade sure has set a high bar for me for my future classes!

I had the highest grade in the class. I know this because our lovely teacher (I really do like her a lot) gave me a gift and told the rest of the class how well I had done. The next highest score was 975 out of 1000. Then she told the class that my score was why she wouldn't be offering bonus questions next semester...oh dear...that certainly won't go far to make me popular, now will it?

Still I was very pleased and I am looking forward to taking Family Law next semester.

I don't know if you remember, but last year about this time, my beloved Chevy Caprice, that had been a gift from my mom and stepfather, became inflicted with a cracked head gasket. I was limping along, hoping to get the car to hang on until in February when Daniel got paid, so we would buy me a new car. But my mother and Jim blessed us again with another vehicle. This time a 2003 Nissan Xterra. Jim further decided to purchase a 4 year/48,000 mile warranty. I hated him doing that as it added more expense, but it was also nice to have that umbrella.

Fast forward to yesterday. I noticed a burning antifreeze kind of smell when I was coming home from church. But I thought I was imagining it. Then after taking the kids to Awanas, I came home and the smell was stronger, then when I arrived home, I realized that smoke was rolling out under my hood. I figured that I had a busted heater hose or a hole in my radiator. I tried looking around with a flashlight, but in these new cars, everything is stuffed on top of each other and you can't see much of anything!

Today I called the BP Amoco motor club to get the Xterra towed to the Nissan dealer. They couldn't find a local participating tow person. So they gave me permission to have the vehicle towed and they would repay me when I submitted the invoice. Then I called Nissan, got set up with a tow truck and within 45 minutes was waving sadly as I watched my vehicle leave.

This afternoon, I got a call from Nissan....you aren't going to believe this, but I have a busted head gasket!!!!!!!!!!! What are the odds?????? Fortunately, it is covered by the warranty, so we don't have to foot the bill. I called Mom and Jim and thanked thim again for their kindness and generosity last year.

Just so you know, this is the way our vehicles have always done. One year, we had two vehicles that needed new transmissions and then two of them, plus a third, ended up needing a new engine! Do you know what it is like to go through three engines in one year????? Hopefully, we won't end up with anymore broken head gaskets!!!!

Wow! Here it is December! Only 24 days left until Christmas and November went by in the blink of an eye. This month looks to be busy as well with Christmas performances, a week-long trip to Illinois, shopping, baking, a cookie exchange party.... Never a dull moment this time of year!

I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving. We did. My mother-in-law, Tess, arrived Monday from Florida. Thursday, she was here, my sister-in-law, Joy, and her hubby and two sons. Also Bruce,Ryan, Charles and Joann. We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese (Joy's specialty), a veggie tray (tossed vegetable tray from Food Lion - awesome), a cheese tray, biscuits, green beans, gravy, yummy sweet potatoes (cooked by Bruce), pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pound cake, and chocolate pie. Our next door neighbor, Ashley popped in for a bit as did Daniel's Aunt and Uncle, Faye and Paul. We ate, we enjoyed the hot tub and our fire bowl and we played Rock Band. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Friday morning, I was up at 3:30. I picked up my neighbors, Ashley and Therese, and we headed to town. By 8, we were done. I got some wonderful deals and this was the first time I had ever gone Black Friday shopping with friends, so that was a lot of fun!

Last Christmas, my husband surprised us with Guitar Hero. I tried it a couple of times, but just didn't get it. The kids and Daniel enjoyed it though and played it from time to time.

Well, last night, Daniel surprised us with Rock Band 2. We like to sing Karoake as a family, but it can get a little old, so Daniel thought this would be a great way to spiff up our fun family time. Of course, my first concern was...where the heck is this stuff going to sit when not in use...we literally have no room for it. My second thought was...oh geez...I couldn't play the guitar in guitar hero, how will I ever manage this....

I have to tell you that after about 4 hours of singing and playing last night, I love this game! We had so much fun!!!!!! My favorites were playing the bass guitar and singing. I am awful at the drums. Jack and Daniel and Katrina are great with everything...I think it is because of their piano training.

I am already thinking how much fun it is going to be to play this at Thanksgiving when all of our family is here! Still don't know where I am putting the band stuff when not in use...perhaps it is time to try hanging stuff from the ceiling!

Last night was a great class. And not just because I got a 98 on the first test I have taken in 20 years... But I was pretty happy about that!

I think I mentioned about the fact that my teacher we started off with, who was a 25 year veteran of paralegal work, had been diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks into our class. We were told her replacement would be a young woman fresh out of law school. Well, our first teacher taught the first four weeks and the thing I liked most about her were her stories that she could share from her many years of experience. Everything else was in the book and she didn't add a lot to that, but I knew the new gal wouldn't have that kind of experience behind her.

Well, let me tell you that last night's class was awesome! Turns out that our new teacher started working in law offices as a teenager. She said she had always wanted to be a lawyer. And when she was a teen, she called around law offices until she found one willing to take her on and let her learn some of the inner workings of a law office. She offered to work for free, but ended up getting paid. She graduated from college 10 years ago. Met her husband, married. Has two children, one 6 and one 5. And just graduated from law school.

She started out our class by introducing herself. Telling us a few minor changes she planned to make to our class. Then she shared a really interesting case that got into a huge ethics dilemma back in the late 70's. Our class last night was about ethics. We were all on the edge of our seats and very involved in asking questions and responding. It was great! We were there the whole class time and while I heard one student grumble about that as we walked out the door 2 hours and 40 minutes later, everyone else seemed pleased. (Our previous teacher vowed to have us out by 9 each night and most weeks we were done between 8 and 8:30 because she needed to spend time with Ms. Moore, our new teacher).

And one more thing...as a paralegal, I have three very important rules to follow(there are more, but these three are big). One of them is that I cannot give out legal advice...not to anyone, friends, family, acquaintances, stangers. But I will share a general something I just learned. Be careful using legal software for legal documents. They tend to be one size fits all and each state has different rules. So do some research in your state before using those documents.

Sorry, I have been away, but life is busy with homeschool, home activities, social activities, class, church, fundraisers, field trips and visitors. I think that about covers it!

Let's see...Homeschooling is going pretty well. We have gotten through about 6 chapters of Story of the World. Jack is learning about the Human Genome and Katrina is studying about classifying living and non-living things. We are learning grammar, spelling, and of course, lovely math. Piano is going well and they are getting back in the groove of things after not having practiced as much as they should over the summer.

We are busy doing some odds and ends around the house. As you saw in photos last week. This week, the appliance repair man came. Parts are on order to fix the freezer. The cost of the dryer repairs was almost as much as a new dryer, so we got a new dryer. Our old one had a computer 'board' on it and I wanted to get away from that. It was 14 years old and for the extra 26 dollars we paid for the brand new dryer, I am happy. I also purchased a small outside storage shed (but I can't tell you why just yet). We are also expecting a lot of packages coming in the mail in the near future. But again, can't share about that just yet. All of those calls and ordering and researching take up time.

Back in the late 1970s, a friend and co-worker of my fathers purchased land in northern Bedford County. At first he went in on the property with another gentleman, but eventually, Bob Donovan purchased the complete property for a total of 51 acres backed up to National Forest.

Bob and Dad frequently went hunting together and Bob and his family enjoyed times spent at the cabin. Bob was eventually transferred first to Ohio, then to Canada and then to ABB in Connecticut. In 1994 he was named President of ABB. During this time, Bob still found time to come back and visit his land in Sedalia to hunt. Sometimes alone, sometimes with his family, because even though he left the area, that land meant a lot to him.

Bedford County has many fun places to offer those who love the great outdoors. National Forest Land, the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Peaks of Otter and Smith Mountain Lake are just a few. Smith Mountain Lake is considered the Jewel of the Blue Ridge. Smith Mountain Lake is the most popular lake destination in the state of Virginia. It has over 500 miles of shoreline.

From Smith Mountain Lake.Com

Why is there a gorgeous, 40-mile long, 20,600 acre lake, with 500 miles of shoreline, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of rural southwestern Virginia? Because Smith Mountain Lake was created to generate electricity, and to help manage water flows downstream and nearby. The damming of the Blackwater and Roanoke Rivers formed Smith Mountain Lake in a filling process that began on September 24, 1963 -- and ended almost 2.5 years later on March 7, 1966.

Smith Mountain Lake's surface covers 32 square miles. Its highest normal water level ("full pond") is 795 feet above sea level. There is typically very little seasonal variation in the water level. The daily variation for electricity production is 12-24 inches. During severe drought conditions, including 2007, lake levels have fallen by five feet. Under extreme flood control conditions, the water level could reach the top of the Smith Mountain Dam -- 802 feet above sea level. (The US Army Corps of Engineers publishes a daily water level report that is also available graphically over time.)

Actually, I am not complaining, but I want to share an observation. It is not uncommon for me to receive 30 or 40 spam comments a day. Because I never could get recaptcha to work with Movable Type 4.0, I just have to go in and delete all of them. And many of them are embarrassing to even have to glance at!

But something has changed. I had appealed to Google to review my page ranking (they had slapped me down to 0 from a 3 because of the fact that I was writing for money on my blog). They reviewed and gave me a page ranking of 2, but now, for some unknown reason, I am back to a 0 even though my traffic remains the same. Maybe they see the word review on my blog (book reviews, movie reviews, product reviews) and just think I am getting paid...but I am not. Sometimes authors send me books for free in exchange for a review, but no money is exchanging hands.

Anyway, about 10 days ago, my page rank dropped to 0.