Family

One week and five days - time to break the bloggy silence!  I'll be back dating. 

We determined Saturday would be a family day. Sherri and I started the day by running to Trader Joes and Market of Choice...my first time to both. I've decided it may be worth it to drive to Roseville once a month. ::snort:: TJ's prices were really not worse than other stores.

Both my parents were contagious and so Michael and I ran over to visit them without the kids.  We spent the rest of the day playing yard games, BBQing, visiting....and the weather was GREAT in OR this weekend.

These are my favorite pictures and so I'm putting them first.

Our Men (Will and Michael)

Grilling at it's best! 

Looking to Drew and Krista's from Will and Sherri's

Part of the back yard

Side yard of Will and Sherri's and you can see one shed/bard and at the left the corner of Krista's. 

The kids gave me a gel nail polish kit for Mother's Day. This was a great time to try it out. 

Gracie and Layla love to play 

Bocce

BreZaak

A day sandwiched by leisurely talks with Will and Sherri, moved on to include a visit with my folks and lots of time with the Gherkins in between visits.....it was a good day. I'm content. 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Arielle is 17!

One week and five days - time to break the bloggy silence!  I'll be back dating. 

Arielle turned 17 today!!!!!  This is SO hard to believe...but there you have it...we blinked. It was a blessing for her to be able to spend the day with her sisters. 

We had an appointment in the a.m. - then BreZaak, Krista and all of us met at Cafe Yumm. Arielle's choice! 

How we girls love our Yumm Bowls - the Guys not so much

Bre always remembers great birthday touches! 

We were TRYING to surprise my parents. Krista called them and asked if they would meet her at Sharis for a shake.....They were having MRSA flareups and Mom had bronchitis.....and so we went to Shari's alone. Arielle wanted a peanut butter pie.

We went skating - but my phone died by then. Michael took a few so I'll add those when he gets them to me.  Sherri and Harmony met us at Skate World.  Harmony was spending the weekend with Will and Sherri.  

These two love cousin time (2nd cousins? Harmony is our Niece's daughter)

The big girls joined them for a birthday soak! 

The house Krista rents is in the background. 

We will plan another birthday for Arielle here at home with her favorite dessert and some gifts....we had planned to give her money for Mexico but by the grace of God she began babysitting and has enough saved. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Zipping to Oregon

One week and five days - time to break the bloggy silence!  I'll be back dating. 

There are times when parents need to see their children and children need to see their parents - regardless of their age. We are so very blessed that our need fell on a four day weekend!  We headed out on Thursday afternoon to drive to Oregon. We needed to see BreZaak and Krista! 

Krista lives next door to my brother and his wife. This was GREAT. The girls stayed with her; Michael, the boys and I stayed with Will and Sherri. It was a good weekend to just love on family and be loved on by family.  

We were thrilled to leave the trailer in CA and ZIP up to OR.....when we have the trailer we can only drive 55 mph per state law. Arielle was happy to drive 1/2 the way. 

We are so thankful to be close enough to drive to Gherkins when the "need" hits....of course,  TX is a bit far....but I'm starting to feel the need for a TX drive by too. 

I do think the drive to Oregon is a bit prettier than the drive to Texas...though the desert is pretty in it's "own way." 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Far West VBS Site

One week and five days - time to break the bloggy silence!  I'll be back dating. 

Sometime during this week a group of us met over at the "Old Far West Middle School" on base and did a walk through with some base personnel and a man from the school district.  This school has not been used for over 10 years. It looked like they had walked out....and decorations, furniture, records were all still there.... it smelled and was a mess.....but we had a vision.

Our facility is really small. We need more room for VBS....some felt this could not be ready before VBS. Others saw the potential and thought it could be done....if we could get base permission to make it work...the school district was very willing to let us use the building for VBS.  Here are some shots from the first walk through - and THIS week (26th May) we got permission to use the building for VBS.

Front is the office - and behind is a kitchen/gym - Great for Critter Cafe and opening and closing assemblies

Interesting photo albums....these records are all moved now. ::grin:: 

 There are 3 buildings besides the office/gym building.  Each of these buildings has 8 classrooms....

I wish I had taken shots of the mess - and the BIG pieces of furniture we needed to move....but I was fairly well focused on imagining the potential.

I do have a few more photos of this week's work day - but I'm trying to chronoblog! ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Whitening Completed

One week and five days - time to break the bloggy silence!  I'll be back dating. 

What better place to begin a blog update than a teeth whitening update? Seriously, if I don't blog every day I forget all but the most basic life events. I used the Aqua Fresh Whitening Trays and saved myself at least $475.00. I'm happy with the price and the results.

Day 1 - can't really see

Day 3 - bit of change - day I figured out how to use them correctly

Day 5

Day 7 

 Day 4 my gums and teeth began to hurt so I used only 30 minutes for the rest of the week instead of 45 minutes.

I'm sure the dentist would have made them whiter - but this is fine. I will need to read the fine print and see how often they recommend you use the stuff - but since I'm having dental work done soon - I'm done. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Scary Night in Linda

Arielle doesn't have a fever. She doesn't have a sore throat. She just has a cough.  I thought we had cough meds. We don't. 

via Google Images - Linda Walmart

I decided to do the dreaded - I would go to Linda Walmart at night. Not Loma Linda, Yorba Linda, Rio Linda...LINDA, CA. (What's with all the Linda's in CA?)

On the way I saw a market....closer than Walmart...hmm.....do I dare? Yes, I did. 

I should have left when I noticed the parking lot was dark. I didn't. 

I should have left when I noticed the men sitting in their car, doors open...just loitering. I didn't. I removed the money from my wallet so I wouldn't have to open my purse in the store. 

I should have left when I noted I was the only woman. I didn't. 

I channeled my inner TaWanda. 

I walked with confidence. I walked with stupidity. I got the cough syrup. 

The man left my change on his side of the counter.  I should have left the change. I leaned across and grabbed the change. 

I walked back out and the dark side lot where I'd parked was now full of cars...doors open, windows down....lots of comments yelled my way....I would have been terrified if I could have understood their comments.  I didn't. 

I got in the car. Locked the doors. Started home....and on the way home I realized I could have gone to Tower Market...or driven up the highway to Walgreens...but  this was closer. NEXT time I will not go to Linda at night.....I will spend the extra minutes and go where the lots are lit and the people are friendlier.  

God was gracious that I did NOT invite Stacia to go with me.....and he covered the stupidity of my going alone to an area of town I've been warned not to visit. I just didn't want to drive to Roseville or Yuba City for cough syrup and I CLEARLY am sleep deprived and wasn't thinking. 

That's the exciting end to this first day of our last week of school! 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

ANTS

Thankful they aren't FIRE ANTS. 

But. 

We are in a battle with the ants here in Northern California. ::grin:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...