Cannon started playing the alto saxophone about 2 weeks ago. He is learning a lot and so far taking it very seriously. I have not had to remind him to practice;not even once. His goal is to get good enough to "play a solo for church" this was not prompted by me at all, but his idea; this idea coming from him made me feel very good. Cannon noted our church hasn't had an instrumental solo played for a long time (besides the regular piano offeratory).

I spied Happy Days season 1 at Wal-Mart for only $19.99. Hum.. I wonder how I can squeeze that into the budget. Facts of Life Season 3 came out this week as well. One of my fav. sites tvshowsondvd.com

My latest craving, not that anyone should care, has been/ continues to be peanut M&M's. Weird I know.

Starting Nov. 1st I will be selling Avon so if any of you are interested (I'm selling it not pushing it so only inquire if truly curious or interested. I hate pushy sells or guilt based sales) please let me know. My recruiter, Jeanette- a very dear friend of mine, is also not into pushy sales so she will be cool with my sales no matter what. I am very excited b/c I purchase a few of the products now and they are very reasonably prices and high quality so I am anxious to expand my knowledge base and use of their products. Avon is also a main sponsor of breast cancer cure/treatments/research which is a cause close to my heart so that is a bonus.

That is everything any of you might have wanted to know and more.

The quote I share for today is, "I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving." Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Good evening to you all. I still need to prepare for teaching Sunday School tomorrow- I was suppose to hours ago, but also had to go into work to finish a project up and caught caught up in that. Don't forget to "fall back one hour".

Jennifer

Jewel lost one of her top front teeth. Seh was very excited so wanted to call Aunt Sara, Aunt Katie & Uncle Bill, along with both grandparents and our friend MIssy at 9:45 P.M. to announce the great news. I talked her out of it; ya'll can thank me later. The last time she had a loose tooth I finally held her down and pulled it myself (she could swallow it ya know-then no tooth fairy $); I threatend that procedure this time so she pulled the tooth herself. You would have thought she pulled the sword out of Excalibur. Anyway.. she is looking more and more like a grade schooler and less like Mommy's little girl. Oh and to top that all off. .she annonced to me last week she no longer believes in Santa Claus. So that was an interesteing discussion. .me trying to talk her back into believing (she is only 6 I still want her to believe), Christmas is more fun when at least one of your children believe in Santa, and my mortal fear is she will tell one of her younger friends or cousins the "the secret". She is/was adamant in her disbelief so there is a scent of youth evaporating from my youngest. I cornered Cannon surmising he might have "spilled the beans", but I believe him when he said he didn't. She believed less time than Cannon , but I think Cannon wanted to believe. It was fun for Cannon to immerse himself in the idea of Santa Land at the North Pole- he is a HUGE fan of fantasy where Jewel is into more concrete ideas and hobbies; dancing, crafts, shopping ,etc.
More later..
Jennifer

I'm finally healthy again!!!!! Hurrah I realize how much I take my health for granted; I feel so good now. Thank you Jesus!
The first night I felt like a human being again, Jewel and I made apple crisp- I will make a few amendments in the future, but it was tasty if I say so myself. Frank said it was good. He never spares my feelings when it comes to food and the entire 9x11 pan was gone in 2 days so I take that as a compliment. We plan on making some crisp again soon. I also thought about pear crisp, but since its apple season and Cannon and I love apples. esp .Granny Smith. I cannot peel an entire apple with one cut like my Mom can, but she has years of experience. Jewel ate quite a few of the apple peels as I peeled them; that way I didn't feel so bad about wasting them.

more later.
Jennifer

Okay, its only Oct 12th, but its visibly snowing here. UGH. I really love it when the snow waits until November or at least until after Halloween. I have two huge windows in front of my desk so the weather always seems to POP right at me; then I worry. I don't do well driving on snow or esp. ice at all!

Tonight I go and get and create Frank's birthday treats. As stupid as it sounds I'm very nervous about this. I think I'm getting truly old b/c my energy seems to fizzle out at 9:30-seriously. I know that's sad, but I just can't seem to remain productive at this time at night.

A guy Frank works with was kind enough to bring in his town's newspaper; which he gave to Frank. Low and behold there is a STRIKING young lady in homecoming pictures. Who could this grown up person be, but Frankie's niece Amber. I made copies of both pictures for all of Frank's family members (on acid free paper)and one for Amber for her scrapbook; now if I can just remember to bring them Friday night.

Better go finish revising a list.
Smiles to you all!

Jeanettte-the school nurse called today, C-man had a headache, but didn't turn into a migraine yet. I hope yours dissolve soon.

Michelle- I LOVE Everybody Loves Raymond!!!! I miss that show BIG TIME!

Love to you all
Jennifer

Alex has been home for an entire week! Bill and Katie just sent me the most adorable picture of Alex and Addison-I hope they are comrades for life.
I have had a worrisome day today-please pray for me. Also my big sis is really sick; her asthma complicates a lot for her so I'm worried about her.
Tonight I get to see my Dad so that is the highlight of my dad.
I plan on making lemon cheesecake and also brownies (Ashley and Frank's dad don't like lemon cheesecake) for Frank's b-day celebration this coming Friday. Jewel has dance so the boys will go ahead to the party with the dessert and we'll come as soon as we can after dance class. I hope I can get both desserts made.
Alrighty, I hope you all are having a good week so far.
I missed Everybody Hates Chris last night b/c I was cleaning the bathroom, but it really needed it. I started a scrapbook page on Sunday, but didn't get it finished. I quit watching Grey's Anatomy and Brothers and Sisters b/c it seemed to me (I'm probably just turning into an old lady) that this person was always having sex with this and that person-probably just how it hit me those days.
Jewel had a wonderful time at little Katie's princess party on Saturday and then we went to Elizabeth S.'s baptism on Sunday.Before the baptism Nathan and Missy hosted a brunch at their house;which was wonderful; TERRIFIC food, both of their families (sweet, funny, people on both sides of their families), and a beautiful baptism. We were very blessed to have attended.
Okie.
Better get mail prepped.
Smiles!
Jennifer

He's here!!!! Me and the fam got to meet baby Alex on Tuesday evening. It was truly wonderful to see the girls, Katie and Bill and meet Alex. We also got to see Katies brother and his family whom we haven't seen in a long time. Katie's nephew, Kyle, had quite the chat with Frank; it was very funny.
Jewel has really been missing her cousins. She has been asking for them which I thought was odd until I realized it had been since June she's seen them. Typically we use to have family get togethers once a month, but its been so hard with everyone's schedules.

It was wonderful to have Frank at a family gathering; oftentimes I have to go without him. I can't wait to see everyone again. Seeing Alex made me miss little Henry so I should make a few more trips home before the weather gets bad.

Well its really busy here at work so I'd better get working.

A huge thank you to everyone who prayed for Alex's safe arrival. They make a wonderful and adorable family.

Smiles!

Jennifer

His blog is found at: http://www.myspace.com/johnparlerYes that's correct he belongs to my space.

Okay, so I really don't feel sorry for what I blogged about the situation with my former pastor, but in hind site I could have been more generous in spirit. He was someone I really really admired and loved. He didn't just have an affair on his wife, he left her and didn't pay child support for a time period (he currently does), and some other very nasty, cruel things he did that I would never have imagined he would do. It is terribly difficult to reconcile the man I thought I knew with the way he is living now. Such a wonderful person that I wish everyone could have known, but he is not that person anymore. There is so much more to this than can be described. Burton Avenue was my family; for me there has never been a community of people who I collectively loved more. He was a really big part of that for me. I still have contact with Candy and the choices he made have made extreme negative impacts on her, but I know God will work it out for His glory. I hate it when people I love get divorced its a wicked rupture of life. I hate it. I hate it even more when the pain is so intense for one of the people and he/she still loves the other person while the other person selfishly moves on and pretends it "just happend". I hate seeing people I love suffer.