May 30th Post - Day 3

Day 3...easy to find my happy thought today... My brother, David Kiernan was honored for his 20 years of Active Duty Service in the Air Force... His retirement ceremony was today... And the icing on the cake was helping him surprise my sister-in-law, Sharri with an awesome gift! Love you both!#100happydays

May 29th Post - Day 2 #100HappyDays

Today I went to one of my happy places... A bookstore! Books make me happy... I want to grab armfuls and do nothing but read... And learn, laugh, cry and be transported! All the wonderful things a book can do! Day 2 #100happydays

May 28th Post - Day 1 #100HappyDays

I think this was my first post -- but I don't think it showed up on FB... weird.  So I took this picture because it's a flower growing in the cracks of the sidewalk.  It's not a weed just a very prolific pincushion flower. I have to admire the perseverance -- a determination to bloom where you're planted -- this was Day #1 of #100HappyDays

  

#100HappyDays

A friend posted a challenge on Facebook -- it was this link:  http://100happydays.com/   

I accepted the challenge -- and it's been a lot of fun.  Some days it's harder than others to find that one gem of a moment to say "This made me happy today" -- let's face it -- some days you only see a glimmer of happy -- so you'd better treasure it.  

Here's a little glimpse of the pics I've taken or posted. I hope to be successful at finishing the challenge!  I think I'll try to snag the old ones off FB and post them here -- and start posting the new dailies here too --a little easier to catalog.  Today is day 27 -- so look for lots of back posts -- soon!

UPDATE -- that's going to be a little harder than I thought -- urgh!

I like blogging -- I'm just not consistent! Trying again!

So it's summer again...and two years later!  Quick update:
1.  We made the move from Delaware to Ohio in August of 2012.  It was a crazy, stressful time.  It was great to be back with family but unsettling at the same time to be "homeless" since we hadn't sold our home in Delaware (and still haven't) and were staying with my mom in our camper -- in her backyard.  Eventually we did get a little house to rent and started to feel settled again. Francesca made a great transition but she misses her friends and school even though she loves being with all these cousins and has made new friends and is excelling in school.  

2.  Tori stayed in Delaware.  At first this was really a tough situation -- we had a major falling out and it took a long time before we able to start working on our relationship again.  I'm happy to report we're in a good place now.  We still miss her but she's doing her best to make it on her own.  I don't like all her choices but I'm learning to let go -- a really really hard lesson.  

3.  Barry is doing great at his job at Air Products.  They're a great company.  There are some negatives -- he works 2nd shift and while the hours were really tough getting used to the first year -- it's having to Saturday that's probably the biggest bummer at this point.  He has a longer commute than we'd like but it's worth it to be in the same town as the rest of my family.

4.  I took some time to find a new job. It was nice to have time to settle in -- and help my mom with some projects. Last summer I started delivering papers. I started a blog dedicated to all the interesting things about that job -- I'm still at but sharing a route with someone else.  Just training for it now -- so not 100% sure how it will all turn out.  We'll see.  Here's a link to that blog:    http://advetureinnewspapers.blogspot.com/ 

Well that's a really quick update -- but I elaborate I'll never get this posted!  These are some random pics of our summer so far. 

Growing my own -- and it's going well!

Francesca joined 4H this year -- it's been really fun -- this last Sunday they went to a Deer Farm -- it was really awesome being so close these timid animals -- they're beautiful gentle things!

The babies are my favorite -- just like puppies and kitties I wish you could stop the growing up process and they'd stay little forever!  Maybe I wish that for my babies too!

I LOVE IT!!!

If you click on the pic it takes you an a great FAQ site about out faith!

Summer is so much fun!

I've always said that Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons -- and in terms of temperature and nature's beauty they are!  But summer is pretty tough to be beat in terms of FUN!!  Staying up late, sleeping in most days, road trips, visiting with friends and family....good times! 

On Friday the 20th we went to New York for a quick trip to the Hill Cumorah Pageant.  It was Francesca's first time to see the pageant and my second.  We went with Heidi and Katie Menasco and Alicia and Ally Slavin.  A van full of girls!  Lots of talking and giggling.  The drive up was kind of drizzly and rainy - but in the afternoon it cleared and we had a beautiful evening to enjoy the show.
 
Francesca and I went to the Smith Family Homestead and strolled through the Sacred Grove.  We had a nice time talking about spiritual things.  We visited the best ice cream place -- The Grill and Chill -- and then spent time visiting with cast members.  The BEST was running into the Sturgill family (wish I'd gotten a picture!) 

The sacred grove with Francesca

Before the show started

Such an awesome true story - and show!

The next day we drove home and then on Sunday and Monday we spent time with our good friends the Lohrfinks - we celebrated Jason's 1st birthday and spent the day at the State Fair.  We love spending time with this awesome family!!

Missing from this collage - all the yummy treats - candy apples, fried oreos, chilli cheese dogs and on and on -- we all had a treat and they were scrumptious!

Hopefully I can update with a few beach pics this week -- we need to hit that place at least once this summer before we move!!

Enjoy your summer -- August is coming and with it "Back to School!"