Stalker.......

It's so fun to read other people's blogs!!!!! I have started to feel like a blog stalker as I get caught up in reading about complete strangers!!!!! Sometimes I read something really funny or agree with something they wrote and want to leave a comment, but then I stop and think,"I don't even know this person!!!" You know how it is, you read a friend's blog, then you see a link on their site that takes you to a friend of theirs, then you go to someone else's from there and the next thing you know, you don't even know where you started!!!! Ok, maybe I am the only one out there that does this......

Anyway, I have learned some pretty interesting things, found great recipes, seen cute pictures and read entertaining, even heart-warming posts. I love it! Thanks to everyone that takes the time to share their lives with the world!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!

As we head out to our cute little hometown parade, we wanted to wish you all a Happy 4th!!!

Last night I was telling Thomas and Vanessa about the parade today. I told them we would see police motorcycles, fire trucks, tractors, horses, marching bands,etc. Vanessa gets this disappointed look on her face and says, "Oh Mom, I have seen that parade before". I tried to explain that I have seen "that parade" every year for the last 38 years and she looked at me like, "Why do you still go???" Why??? Because I LOVE a parade! Especially on our country's birthday!!!!!

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Disturbing????

Maybe it's just me, but I find this a little disturbing. Here I was, making french toast for breakfast when Talisha comes in and tells me that she was "cooking her dinner!!!" I just hope Barbie finds her way out before Scott fires up the BBQ tomorrow!!!!

The fun just never ends......

The neighbor just brought Thomas home....wet from his arm pits down. Apparently, he and the neighbor boy took a hose over to a huge dirt pile in their yard and "had a great time"! They were caked in mud. The neighbor let me know that he had hosed the boys off.....hence my dripping wet son standing before me........I love boys!!!!!

Quite a day.....

This was supposed to be a picture of Levi doing a flip into the water.....after me trying to get him in the air instead of the water 15 times, he was exhausted and wouldn't try anymore......??? What's wrong with that boy??

As I'm sure you can imagine, we get lots of opportunities for laughter around here. Today I was making cookies. Levi had a couple of friends over. One was adopted from Russia and his brother was adopted from Ethiopia. Just listening to the 3 of them talk is a riot! You get to hear Levi's slang and their accents all mixed up together. Anyway, as I was pulling out a batch of cookies, they came in the house. Levi went to grab one and I said, "Levi, wait! Those are hot!" Levi, without missing a beat, said, "Oh, like me?" And then I hear a quiet Russian voice say, "And me!" and then an Ethiopian voice say, "And me!" And then they all broke down laughing......they crack themselves up.

But seriously, how blessed is Levi to have two best friends, both from the other side of the world??? What are the odds that an Ethiopian and a Russian child would come to America, end up right here in our neighborhood and be friends with our Levi??? I love adoption!!!!!

The Bird

Tanner came in the house, talking about a bird that he saw on the ground. It wasn't doing well and he kind of thought it was going to die. He told me that he tossed a pinecone at it to see if it would fly. Shocked, I said, "Tanner, why would you do such a thing when he was on his last leg???" "Mom," he said completely serious, "he had both legs."

In a whirl

So, I know your still waiting for me to post about my 20 year high school reunion......I'm still trying to figure out what's for dinner tonight. Thankfully after looking on one of my favorite blogs, I think I have it figured out......

Sooooo, the reunion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so fun to see people!!!!! Some looked exactly the same and others I really had to wrack my brain to come up with their name. What was interesting was that once we started talking and catching each other up on the past 20 years, it felt like I was in the twilight zone. It seemed like no time had passed and we were still in high school. It only took seconds to remember why I loved that particular person way back then or maybe why they were not my favorite. The human mind is an amazing thing.

What was amazing was to see what people have done with their lives. I was so proud of what some had accomplished (that's the Mom in me)!

My very best friend Bonnie and her husband went with us. And you would think we would have remembered to take a picture before we left but sadly we forgot. We will take one soon and post a "past" and "present" so you can see how nicely we have aged!!! tee hee......

I had to laugh though........I lost track of how many times people commented about my hair from high school!!!!! I heard comments through out the night about what beautiful hair I had in high school! I had no idea that anyone would remember something like that?????? Weird, if you ask me! Even at the family picnic on Sunday, my 8th grade history teacher showed up (I guess she still keeps in touch with a couple of students). I figured she would not remember me. I was not a stellar student. I got good grades but I didn't push myself or look for opportunities to do anything more than what was required. As she made the rounds, saying hi to people, I wondered what she would say when she came to me........"Oh, Tari Dahlen. I remember you! You had such beautiful hair and you were such a sweet girl!" The hair thing again..........the only thing I can say is that getting up at 4:30 every morning to do my hair must have paid off!!!! My claim to fame!!!!

Well, I'm off to get that dinner started!