Labor Day Monday. Now this is one of those days where I really miss my friends and family. Up north this would be the last holiday that I could look forward to planning a day for a picnic with friends. The last day of (real) summer hoorah.

Remember the picnics of our youth with our many cousins? Food and games and alot of laughing. Chicken fights in the water and card games at the picnic table. Good times.

Speaking of card games, I did have a blast playing cards during my visit back home. Uncle Picky and I are were partners. hahahaha He is hilarious. My mother and Shirley were partners and I think there were times they wanted to slap us. I think we may have won one game, but we will deny that in public and say we won them all. There are no sore losers when you do not admit to losing.

My mom is coming down for Thanksgiving and I am so looking forward to it. I am hoping Royce (Uncle Picky, a nickname earned) and Shirley come too, a rematch around my kitchen table would be so nice.

The sun is out this morning, so I think we should throw our suits on and hit the pool. A sunny morning does not mean there will be no rain in the afternoon.

Can"t believe we have been down here in Southern Florida for a year already. I have been fortunate enough to have to experience any hurricanes (yet). Let me tell ya, some of these thunderstorms scare the crap outa me. The lightening is so fierce and the thunder shakes the house. I am not looking forward to a hurricane, which I am sure if I stay here for any length of time I will get to experience. If you are a betting person, go ahead and put your money on me hiding in a closet and crying and possibly with wet pants. Yep, I am a chicken. I suppose for my girls I will be brave, but you can bet inside I will be shaking.

On that note, gonna get some sun before the clouds roll in. Have a great Labor Day!

I turned 42 today. Wow! Seems like yesterday I was singing to Donny and Marie with my cousin and skating in her basement to Aretha Franklin. Wow, where does the time go? haha Now I am watching my kids do the goofy things I used to do when I was their age. Yep, Mom, I had kids just like me.

Of course my birthday was not complete until I had my chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, and the girls did an excellent job. Yum!

I wanted to go to some art galleries today, but the girls are sick, so we stayed in. Hopefully they will feel better tomorrow. It was kinda cloudy today, so it was not a bad thing to stay in. Finished up on school work, had shrimp for dinner, and now we are watching some movies. It is a girls night. The girls and I love girls night. It is a chance to cuddle up, have some pop corn and watch movies, preferably comedies. Can you guess who the first one asleep is?

"Keep on succeeding, for only successful people can help others."
-Dr. Robert Schuller

I am back home, in Florida. It was nice to see family and friends. It is also nice to be home.

This was the girls first plane trip. Alex was a pro! She sat on the window seat and just looked out the window the whole time, she was completely fascinated and brave. Savanna did well too, I do believe squeezing the circulation from my hand was a part of her flying experience. She was so funny. I thought she was going to hyperventilate during take off,haha. But she was a very good travel partner.

Got some business in while I visited. It went well and I am excited. I can not wait to watch the success of the team.

It is quite rainy today. We were going to go to the beach, but used this rainy day as an opportunity to unwind and catch up with school work. Was able to go out and send Sara a care package today. I am so proud of my starving college student.

Ok, now I am going to go back to not watching Young Frankenstein with Gene Wilder and get some homework finished. Yea, right!

I am back up north for a visit. Been here for about 2 weeks, kinda feels like 2 months, haha. I am enjoying catching up with friends, but really look forward to getting back to the palm trees.

Dawna girl, felt like old times sitting in your house and sipping wine and talking and laughing. You have no idea how much I miss those visits. You are still a hoot! And if I can get my nine year old to show me how to do it, I am gonna post those pictures, haha. However...my silence can be bought.

My dear friend shared a quote with me, she said "go to where you are celebrated and not just tolerated". Kathy, I truly feel celebrated at your home. The fact that Larry did not go away on vacation when I came into town speaks volumes, haha. And for someone who does not like to cook, that dinner was the bomb! Yummy!!!

The girls are enjoying their visits with their friends. Savanna is going to go into Katie withdrawl when we leave. Thank God for unlimited long distance. You know how when you have a friend, and you just have this connection with each other, and you know you will probably be friends for the rest of your lives? Well, I believe Savanna and Katie are just such friends. A year apart has not weakened their friendship. They talk everyday. They laugh together and get into their spats, but always make up and move on.

You can learn alot listening to two little girls talking on the phone. They encourage each other and applaud each other. Even when they have their differences they remain committed to their friendship.

Alright, back to the books...

I am reading a book by Joe Vitale, The Seven Lost Secrets of Success. He is writing about the million dollar ideas of Bruce Barton, and the book is loaded with some thought provoking quotes. I will share a couple with you...

"In each generation are a few men who catch a vision so big and steadfast that in the pursuit of it they lose all thought of their own interest or advantages."
Bruce Barton, 1918

"In the long run no individual prospers beyond the measure of his faith."
Bruce Barton, 1921

"In evry human being, whether emperor or cowboy, prince or pauper, philosopher or slave, there is a mysterious something which he neither understands nor controls. It may lie dormant for so long as to be almost forgotten; it may be so repressed that the man supposes it dead. But one night he is alone in the desert under the starry sky; one day he stands with bowed head and damp eyes beside an open grave; or there comes an hour when he clings with desperate instinct to the wet rail of a storm tossed boat, and suddenly out of the forgotten depths of his being this mysterious something leaps forth. It over-reaches habit; it pushes aside reason, and with a voice that will not be denied it cries out its questionings and its prayer."
Bruce Barton, 1927
What Can A Man Believe?

"Many of us are afraid this expenditure of compassion will drain away our energy, deplete us for our own tasks. But the dynamics of compassion defy the ordinary laws of energy. We discover that, like Antaeus in the ancient myth, our strength is doubled by compassionate contact with the blessed earth of humanity...

"Compassion belongs to the other great band of noble virtues- tolerance, sympathy, understanding - all marching under the banner of love."
Bruce Barton, 1942

You have just got to read the book for yourself, but I tell ya, it is filled with some diamonds.

Weight Loss Plan for People With Lactose Intolerence

Eat all the ice cream you want! Top off all meals with a large glass of milk. Stay tuned for my rancid meat diet plan.

(This statement not approved by the FDA or any medical doctors or anyone else with common sense, follow this diet at your own discretion)