First Day of 4th Grade

School finally started here this past Tues., day after Labor Day.  Mailia was sooo ready.  She loves her new school, has made many friends already, and the bus picks her up and drops her off right at the end of our driveway.   Couldn't be much nicer for a parent.

Fall is definitely around the corner.  The 80s and 90s are gone.  Most days are low-mid 70s falling to the upper 40s at night.  Just a few leaves starting to turn.

I start a new job on Monday.  Am anxious to get back to work.  And with Christmas coming, the timing couldn't be better.

We're still settling in here.  But the stacks of boxes are gradually dwindling.  Still doesn't feel like 'home' tho.  I'm thinking it might take a year of 'firsts' before it becomes 'home'.  Still half expect to find Darrell's mom sitting in the living room.

So many things I miss about Florida, but then there were so many things I missed about Michigan when we were IN Florida.  NOT looking forward to the long, cold winter, but the glorious fall leaves and the rebirth of nature's best in the spring, will make that one season seem worth it.  I'm looking forward to planting some tulip and daffodil bulbs this fall that we will get to enjoy next spring.  And the lilacs in May.  Yes, I'll be counting the days until spring.

New GM (gov't motors) Car

Public Service Announcement!!!

(borrowed from a friend)


Information about Gonorrhea Lectim:


The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of this old disease. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim. It's pronounced "Gonna re-elect 'em," and it is a terrible obamanation.

The disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior involving putting your cranium up your rectum. Many victims contracted it in 2008...but now most people, after having been infected for the past 1-2 years, are starting to realize how destructive this sickness is.

It's sad because Gonorrhea Lectim is easily cured with a new drug just coming on the market called Votemout. You take the first dose in 2010 and the second dose in 2012 and simply don't engage in such behavior again; otherwise, it could become
permanent and eventually wipe out all life as we know it.

Please pass this important message on to all those bright folks you really care about.

Summer Continues

Let me get my complainin' outta the way first.......It is SO FREAKIN' HOT!!! Window air conditioners can only do so much. And it's not cutting it. Feels just like Florida summers, but at least there we stayed indoors in the a/c and didn't notice the heat so much. I am SO looking forward to fall, although dreading what comes after :-/

I have so much I'd like to do in this 'new' house, but way too hot to attempt anything right now. Darrell, however, has spent most of the last week in our flooded basement. We had some heavy rains over the past few days and at it's worst we had 4" of standing water in the basement. There is no sump pump down there and not even a drain. Darrell bought a pump, then he and Mailia spent hrs. and hrs. down there trying to suck up what they could with the shop-vacs. Darrell has found a couple of leak sources and repaired them. So hoping there aren't more.

Took Mailia to check out her new school this week. She liked it all except the uniform policy. It is much, much stricter than her school in Kissimmee. But overall she came away with a good feeling and we immediately headed out to start shopping for school supplies. She's excited about going back to school now, but school here doesn't start until Sept. 7th. About 3 weeks later than Florida.

We spent another day last weekend on the water with my sister and brother-in-law. Applied sunscreen liberally! We finally got our own boat running and hope to get it in the water maybe tomorrow. After all the work on the basement this week, Darrell wanted a down day...so today was it.

We took Mailia to our local drive-in movie theater last night. She thought that was the coolest thing ever! We took our own popcorn and stopped at the local rootbeer stand for a gallon of the good stuff. We saw Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me and Mailia laughed through both of them. She can't wait til we go again.

It's not Daytona (not even close) but Michigan Int'l Speedway is only about 40 min. away from us. So guess where we'll be on Aug. 15th? :-)

Will try to post an assortment of pictures. We had 2 fawns in the backyard this evening and I was able to get some pretty good pictures of them before Mailia opened and slammed the backdoor. :-/

Mailia is fascinated by the Amish, as we see them in stores and on the roads. I took a picture of one of their horse and buggies parked next to us at the boat launch site last weekend. None of them were in the water, so I guess they just came down to watch the boats.

And my newest niece was born this past Mon. Dannica Lynn arrived weighing 10# 2 oz.!!!

Do you have the Obama Countdown Widget?

Do you have the Obama Countdown Widget?

4th of July Weekend

We had a great holiday weekend. Lots of water and sun. And no sharks or jelly fish or even gators to look out for. lol
Mailia went tubing for the first time and LOVED it. I see skis and wakeboards and kneeboards in our future.
Saturday was very relaxing with a bbq and paddle boat rides. Sunday was tubing day, accompanied by sunburn (me). But it was all worth it.
Spending time with family and making memories is priceless.
Today, Monday, is a day of rest. We're staying home. I think.

A Final Win for the 3

Wish I'd been at Daytona last night.
Jr. took the #3 to Victory Lane for his Dad... the very place that his Dad lost his life in the #3. A fitting tribute and emotional ending to one of Nascar's greatest, from Nascar's most popular.

Wish I could be at Daytona today too.
Love, love, love restrictor plate racing.
Love and miss the sights, the sounds, the smells of Daytona Int'l. Speedway.
All the best to the 24, 48, 88 and 5.