floridabozonebunch

Love in Action

2010-05-24T08:49:00.033-05:00

Life is full of people who do nice things just to get some favor in return. When I see people who show real love just because they are sharing the love of Jesus, then I believe my life has been truly blessed. I have witnessed this recently in the lives of my mom and step-dad.

About 50 years ago Dave(my step-dad) was pastoring his first church and met a man who became a part of his life forever. Eugene started coming to the little church when both of the men were in their 20s. Eugene was different than most of the people around him in the fact that he had cerebral palsy. He walked with a crippled limp and his speech was somewhat slurred. Dave befriended this man and Gene followed him to the different ministries that Dave became a part of. Dave made sure he had a place to live and proper medical help. Gene had very little family and after his mom died, there was no one except friends to take care of him. Gene received his high school diploma and had a paper route where he made many friends.

After my mom married Dave, she was introduced to Gene. Mom enjoyed making him feel special. I have talked to her several times on the phone to find that they had gone and picked up Gene and brought him to their house for the weekend. Mom would cook his favorite meal of fried chicken. When my family would go to Indiana for Christmas, we always made sure that we went to the home where he lived and had a Christmas concert. Our kids along with any cousins would play instruments, sing and visit with the residents.

Those who knew him also knew that he loved God.
He once told my Mom and Dave that if anything should happen to him in surgery, he knew where he was going. He also stood and testified in church that he was ready to see Jesus. He loved going to church and often asked those around him if they attended church.

I talked with mom a few days ago and they had gone again and spent time with Gene. They were disappointed to find out that he was not doing well physically. They received a call early the next morning to learn that Gene had crossed over into heaven. Mom was crying on the phone as she shared the news with me. I couldn't help but think of the memories they shared together with a man that would be considered "the least of these." They have been there for him through medical procedures, times of depression, and good times. They are mourning a real friend. There have been dear people help out by donating a burial plot, the funeral home has written off costs and made sure he has a viewing because the town folk will want to pay tribute to their former paper man. He will be dressed nice and have dignity in his death because of love. Any cost remaning will be paid for by my step-dad, the man who loved him through life.

What is heaven like for those who have never known what it was like to talk plain or walk straight. I can not even imagine!! I believe Jesus welcomed him with open arms and showed him his forever home. He is complete and whole!!

So, what do I take from all of this. We are called to love others-it is the greatest commandment! I am glad my kids have seen Jesus in their grandparents as they loved Gene. "Inasmuch as ye have done it uno the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

Micah-2 months

2010-04-03T16:02:00.011-05:00

Our little Micah is already more than 2 months old. We are enjoying him so much. Here are a few pictures we took recently. He weighs more than 13 pounds-that is the way we grow them:)

Baby Micah!

2010-01-28T11:01:00.012-06:00

Micah Allen Bozone made his grand appearance into this world Sunday night at 8:04 p.m. He weighed 7 lb 10 oz. and was 19 in long. We are thrilled with him!!

It sure wears a fellow out to be born.

Our 5 kids.

Proud Papa

Surrounded by love

Ready to go home.

"HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY JULIANNA!!"

2010-01-17T19:48:00.010-06:00

Julianna celebrated her 13th birthday today! We had a nice time together as a family making her day special!

She wanted a pink MP3 player-she is having a good time figuring it all out.

She wanted a key lime cheesecake instead of a traditional cake-it turned out very yummy!

Singing Tree and Parade!

2009-12-08T15:40:00.040-06:00

Doyle directs in the rain-Hey,they won the trophy and got their picture in the paper!

Last week was a busy one here at Hobe Sound. The Singing Tree performed 4 times and we had our annual town parade. I put 49 pictures on Facebook, but decided to put a few on my blog. Lydia waves at the crowd on the school float. It started raining when they were almost done-what a mess!

Our band with the youth group behind them.

Julianna getting ready to march.

Samuel in line with his trumpet.

Joseph was a shepherd on the float.

Lydia was Mary.

Joseph was a cat in the animal song for the Tree performance.

Julianna was an angel in the Hallelujah Chorus.

The Singing Christmas Tree!

Samuel gets ready to go sing with the rest of the kids.

Lydia as an angel.

Doyle plays for the prelude.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMUEL!!

2009-12-01T09:42:00.016-06:00

Samuel turned 11 today! We celebrated his birthday last night because the kids and Doyle have a big practice tonight. This was his year to have a family party, so it was just us. He wanted cupcakes for his cake, so I put them in the shape of a tree.

He also wanted to light his candles. All of my kids love the idea of lighting candles-not sure why.

Joseph watching Samuel open his gifts.

His big gift this year was a DSI-something he has been wanting for a long time.

He had a lot of fun figuring out all of the features.

Today I took cupcakes in to his class.

We played a board game together as a family before going to bed last night-we knew this week would be a bit hectic, and felt like it was important to spend some time to celebrate his special day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSEPH!!

2009-11-25T14:05:00.024-06:00

Today Joseph turned 6 years old. He wanted a race car themed party.

Here is his cake with the track shaped into a 6.

A closer look at the flag.

He had a few friends to help him celebrate.

Doyle did some magic tricks for the kids.

Opening gifts.

Our gift to him was a Mocha pup Webkinz.

His party guests and siblings.

Playing red light-green light.

Coloring race cars pictures

Another race car game.

Everyone seemed to have a good time. I know Joseph enjoyed himself-I love my little guy. I can't believe he is growing up so quickly.

Redecorating Projects

2009-11-03T16:16:00.040-06:00

About a month ago, we decided to redecorate the kids' bedrooms to get ready for our new addition. You would think that everyone would be crowded with another child coming, but the opposite is actually true. We are utilizing space that we did not use on a regular basis. The first room to go was our guest room. We are using this room for Joseph and the baby. I used the cowboy theme that we were previously using and adapted it for them. When my step-dad comes, he is going to put a door that leads directly into our bedroom. This room has a big closet,as most of the rooms do, so I took advantage of that.

This is baby Micah's bed.

This is Joseph's bed.

The wall above Joseph's bed.

One of the dressers that matches the theme.

This room used to be pink and white with pretty teacups sitting around. We took the piano and put it in the living room. The room got a major overhaul. Doyle painted it a light blue. I bought navy curtains and black curtain rods. I wanted it to be user friendly so I did not put pictures on the wall, but used sports decals. We even put a small basketball hoop since the ceiling is high on one side.

I painted his dresser drawers red and left a long low table in the room so he could build legos and leave them in one place while he was working on a project.

This is the storage unit that keeps a lot of things organized.

We took the boys room and made it into Lydia's room. I bought 2 comforters and used one of them to cut up for curtains, pillows, baby doll blankets and anything else I decided.

I painted the dresser drawers white and brown with aqua pulls. I love changing dressers with paint.

Here is the other side of the room where her desk and other stuff is.

Julianna now has the tropical theme we took from the guest room. She loves it! It is done it coral, lime green, and aqua.

Her rug.

The dressers in her room colors. I love the idea that paint can be electronically matched with a computer. I used that a lot- I just take in a piece of material and they make the paint the exact color.

I did not plan on changing the small bathroom by the girls' room, but why not-since I am on a roll. This used to be done in birdhouses-not anymore. I like the theme that I could use with my current paint and decided to do this room too. These are four picture frames I had bought some time ago and wasn't sure what to do with. I had the pictures printed in sephia.

My man and me!

The wall decorations.

The view of the complete bathroom.

The border.

The great thing about all of this is that we did not have to buy any new furniture. I bought a dresser from Goodwill to put in my master bath to put sheets and stuff in. We simply moved things, repainted, organized, and got rid of unused stuff. It was done on a budget and I feel very good about it. Now, I have to prepare for a yard sale this Saturday. The stuff is together-I just have to price. Thank God for a husband that will do most of the work. These projects have worn me out, so I am trying to be good and take it easy a bit!

Beach Fun

2009-08-29T10:47:00.017-05:00

We decided to go to the beach last Tuesday night so the kids could play in the water. We live 1 mile from the ocean, but do not go very often. The following 2 pictures are of the water spouts off shore. The surfers got out of the water, watched them, and got back in. Being from Indiana, I thought they looked like tornados. No one seemed alarmed, so I just took pictures and videoed the action. After I got home, I did some research on computer and found out that the difference between a water spout and a tornado is that a tornado is over land and a water spout is over water. That made me feel so much better! I am glad they decided to play in the ocean and not visit us on land.

Another picture of the "harmless" water spout. It was prety neat to see them touch down and watch the water spray up.

The kids getting all wet and sandy.

Samuel really enjoyed trying his new skim board.

Back to School!

2009-08-17T14:26:00.014-05:00

The kids started back to school today! This year they all four loaded up their backpacks and began the new year.

Julianna-7th, Samuel-5th, Lydia-3rd, and Joseph-K

Joseph has a cute smile, but you have to catch him. When you ask him to smile-this is what you get.

Here he goes!

Lydia is a little overloaded-the first day they have to take several things that stay at school.

So, I am home alone! I think it would have hit me harder if I was not pregnant. I am going to make good use of my time getting ready for our new baby to come in February.

Intermediate Summer Band Camp

2009-07-19T21:58:00.025-05:00

(Doyle Bozone posting) We had a great time together at Intermediate Band Camp. Although this is the 10th year anniversary of having band camps, no 2 band camps are the same. Not only are the activities different, but also the students, personalities, playing abilities, and so much more make each camp a memorable experience. I love and appreciate each band camp student and pray and trust God will help him/her to become a great musician to be used for His honor and glory.

Enjoy some pictures of the camp's activities.

Advanced Band Camp Photos

2009-06-21T21:33:00.024-05:00

Enjoy the following pictures from the Advanced Summer Band Camp which finished Friday, June 19th. Pictures were taken during Wacky Day, Water Day, Concert Day, and other candid shots. I, Doyle Bozone, had a wonderful time working with such a great group of young people.

Julianna's school project

2009-05-19T15:46:00.005-05:00

Julianna made her state notebook presentation today. Each of the 6th grade students were required to choose a different state to research. She decided to study Kentucky since we have family there. She did a nice job and is relieved that this project is over.

I had popcorn chicken from Kentucky Fried Chicken for the kids to eat after she finished her talk.(I thought this would be better than having a wad of tobacco for each of the students:)

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T08:12:00.020-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my family. Here I am with my presents which consisted of: flowers, candy, 2 shirts, home-made cards, and a decorating magazine. Doyle made dinner and cleaned up the dishes while I took a nap. He does that for me almost every Sunday-what a man!!

My kids and me.

Julianna, Lydia, and me at the Mother/Daughter Banquet.

I am so grateful for my Mom who is one of my dearest friends. I thought I was going to lose her when she had her heart attack a few days ago. I asked God to please let her live if it would be His will. I am so glad he allowed her to remain a part of my life. She was able to attend church yesterday and heard from Kerry, my brother in Afghanistan. We prayed for her to receive a call from him on Mother's Day.

Family Time!

2009-05-05T08:08:00.018-05:00

On April 25th we were able to get together with most of the Bozones to celebrate Daryl and Amber's wedding. I have posted a complete album on my FB site, but here are a few pictures.

Here the happy couple enter the reception.

The 5 brothers..

All seven kids-it was so nice for them to be together.

Lydia and Joseph-taking their job seriously.

The Bozone clan.

Our family-I am so blessed!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDIA!!

2009-04-28T19:39:00.026-05:00

Lydia celebrated her 8th birthday this week. This was her year for a family party. She had the privilege of sharing her special day with family that we rarely see that were in from CA for a wedding. We had such a nice time and we will be sharing lots more pictures later. Lydia poses with her flip-flop cake.

Matthew and Sophia with our 4 kids.

Lydia wanted a flip-flop cake. Thanks to internet instructions, we were able to make one together.

Make a wish!

Admiring her home-made cards.

Of course, we had to have some shoes for the party.

Julianna made Lydia a stuffed-animal purse.

She also received a camera. Her CA family gave her a cute watch. The next 2 pictures were taken today on her actual birthday after a piano recital.

More shoes--a lady can not have too many!

Lydia is a special gal. I know she had a wonderful birthday with her extended family.

HAPPY EASTER!!

2009-04-12T17:22:00.018-05:00

Our family on Easter morning.

The mommy and the daddy.

Cheesin'

Our precious kids.

The girls...

..and the boys.

Spring in Florida

2009-04-02T19:18:00.011-05:00

We enjoy beautiful weather all winter long while the northern people are freezing, so sometimes spring is hard to notice in Florida. After you have lived here awhile, there are some things that change besides the weather getting very warm. One way I noticed is that my bougenvilla is in full bloom. It is absolutely gorgeous. When the sun shines in the window, it casts a pink glow on my kitchen cabinets.

This is my view from the kitchen sink. The rose is one that we brought in from one of our bushes in the yard-the one we planted in memory of Miriam. Did I mention that I love flowers?

Wisdom from Erma Bombeck

2009-03-11T08:06:00.010-05:00

Erma Bombeck was always one of my favorite writers. She had a unique way of understanding life. She could make you howl with laughter and the next minute you would be crying. I sat up way too late last night reading the book that was composed after her death. Over 190 of her full length columns are inside this fun-filled book. I decided to share one that grabbed my attention.

No More Oatmeal Kisses-January 29,1969
A young mother writes,"I know you've written before about the empty-nest syndrone,that lonely period after the children are grown and gone. Right now I'm up to my eyeballs in laundry and muddy boots. The baby is teething:the boys are fighting. My husband just called and said to eat without him, and I fell off my diet. Lay it on me again, will you?"

OK. One of these days, you'll shout, "Why don't you kids grow up and act your age!" And they will. Or, "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do...and don't slam the door!" And they won't.
You'll staighten up the boys' bedroom neat and tidy: bumper stickers discarded, bedspread tucked and smooth, toys displayed on the shelves. Hangers in the closet. Animals caged. And you'll say our loud, "Now I want it to stay this way." And it will.
You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing, and you'll say, Now, there's a meal for company." And you'll eat it alone.
You'll say, I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around. No demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear?" And you'll have it.
No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti. No more bedspreads to protect the sofa from damp bottoms. No more gates to stumble over at the top of the basement steps. No more clothespins in the sofa. No more playpens to arrange a room around.
No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more sand on the sheets or Popeye movies in the bathroom. No more iron-on patches, rubber bands for ponytails, tight boots or wet knotted shoestrings.
Imagine. A lipstick with a point on it. No baby-sitter for New Year's Eve. Washing only once a week. Seeing a steak that isn't ground. Having your teeth cleaned without a baby on your lap.
No PTA meetings. No car pools. No blaring radios. No one washing her hair at 11 o'clock at night. Having your own roll of Scotch tape.
Think about it. No more Christmas presents out of toothpicks and library paste. No more sloppy oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. No giggles in the dark. No knees to heal, no responsibility.
Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up?" and the silence echoing,"I did."

Time with friends.

2009-03-04T09:58:00.007-06:00

Last week we had the privilege of spending some time with the Estes family. Doyle and Phil went to school together and we don't get to see their family very often. The meal was delicious and the fellowship was good.

Phil and Margaret

Our kids had so much fun playing together. You would have thought that they had known each other for a long time.

Daddy/Daughter Time

2009-02-23T14:20:00.019-06:00

We have a tradition that when our kids get tall enough to go to the Jupiter Lighthouse, Doyle takes them on a "date" to visit this historical site. It was Lydia's turn to climb the stairs and be with her daddy. He took her out of school for a couple of hours, which pleased her very much.

Lydia poses at the bottom of the Jupiter Lighthouse.

Lydia climbs the 100 plus stairs.

Looking over the edge!!

They had a good time together and made some special memories.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2009-02-14T11:08:00.017-06:00

We celebrated Valentine's Day this morning by presenting gifts to each other. This is always a fun time together as a family. Doyle got me a dozen roses with some candy and a beautiful card. He really is my gift from God. I will never cease to be amazed at how blessed I am to me married to the man of my dreams. I got him some candy, card, and a balloon.

I had so much fun with the gifts this year. I wrapped them a couple of days early and it drove the kids crazy. Here is Julianna with her special gifts from the family. I got the girls two cute shirts each and the boys these toy sets(one was a helicopter and the other was a K-9 unit). I found incredible bargains on the shirts and toys. I decided to go easy on the candy since they get so much at school.

Samuel and his loot.

Lydia waiting to open her gift.

Joseph giving his cheezy grin.

The kids exchange cards. I keep their cards from year to year in a special place. I know they will value them a lot more in the future. I am looking forward to spending an enjoyable day together with my family.

Campmeeting Time!

2009-02-07T19:53:00.007-06:00

This is the time of the year when our campus becomes very populated with people from all over the U.S. and other countries to participate in the Sea Breeze Campmeeting. I know some of you are aware that you can be a part by logging on to the website, but I thought there might be others out there who did not know that this is a great chance to be there when you can not be there. Seabreeze Camp

Comments about Cornerstone

2009-01-26T16:50:00.029-06:00

In the last two weeks Cornerstone has had 6 concerts here in south Florida. We are thankful to God that Doyle was able to play his trombone after his episode with the ice. Cornerstone had the first concert of our concert series here at Hobe Sound Bible Church. I am just a little bit proud of them.

Lucas thoroughly enjoying himself.

The guys wore dark glasses for one of the songs. Doyle and Dan come onto the platform playing their trombones.

Jonathan and David with their trumpets--looking cool.

Doyle blasts away!

Emily prepared a wonderful meal one Sunday afternoon. She always has beautiful decorations to make a gathering extra special.

David holds little Natalie Heath.

We decided to go out and eat one night after a concert. Taking 14 kids to a restaurant is an interesting experience. The boys were excited that the drink turned their tongues blue.

Like fathers-like sons.

Here are the Cornerstone Kids. When the concerst get long, we mothers are tempted to turn them loose down the aisle with kazoos.

Julianna holds the youngest member of the Shrout family, baby Laura.

Well, I think the non-Florida members of the group enjoyed bringing their families down to the sunny south. We will come up north this summer for a tour when it is too hot down here.

Happy Birthday, Julianna!!

2009-01-19T17:22:00.043-06:00

Julianna celebrated her 12th birthday on Saturday. She wanted a scrapbook party with friends this year, so that is what we did. It turned out real nice. I decided to make her a scrapbook cake-I found the idea on the internet.

We are ready for the girls to arrive.

Fresh flowers from our yard.

We tried an idea that my sister, Esther, gave me. Since I received a marble slab for Christmas, why not use it for the party? We did an imitation of Cold Stone Creamery. We had several toppings to add to the ice cream. Julianna took their orders when they arrived.

Doyle mixed it on the slab, and I put it in the freezer until we cut the cake.

Make a wish!

After cake and ice cream, Doyle played a short game with them while I cleared the table for scrapbooking. They brought a few pictures from home and made a mini book. They seemed to really enjoy themselves. I think they would have worked for another hour if their parents had not come to pick them up.

It was so neat to see their creativity come to life.

She received many nice gifts. She shows off a new scrapbook.

She had to have a picture of her gifts together.

Gifts for the guests-a roller stamp with three different designs.

She declared it her best birthday ever, so that made me very pleased.

A Happy Boy

2009-01-15T11:16:00.010-06:00

Joseph had a hole in the knee of one of his favorite pair of pajamas. At first it was small, but as you can see, it grew. I knew he was done wearing them. I started to throw them away, but somehow it was hard to let go of the soft familiar flannel. I did something a little uncharacteristic of me--I stuck them back in his drawer. The next day he told me that he needed a sleeping bag for his Webkinz Gecko. By the way, these stuffed animals are becoming too human.

I immediately thought of the pjs, and said "sure." I even made a pillow for him. The whole thing took a few minutes and he was thrilled.

A happy Joseph and a happy Sparkle Punch.(how's that for a name)

Guess what the other kids wanted when they got home from school?

Christmas Memories

2009-01-10T15:33:00.003-06:00

The Second part of our vacation was spent at my mom and step-dad's house. We always enjoy our time together with them and the rest of the family. We made so many great memories to tuck away in our hearts. Here is the clan on Christmas Day.

The 4 kids and Mom.

Kaleesha and Kaleb. These are the kids that I used to spoil. Kaleesha is a student in college and Kaleb is 17.

This is how Doyle spent part of Chistmas Day. He was outside playing on the ice(pulling my nephew on a mop) when he hit the ice face first. Melanie helped him inside where he took his glove off of his face and showed me his blood-covered mouth. His top lip was all swelled up and was cut inside and outside. I think his tooth cut through his lip. It took us awhile to get the bleeding stopped. I was also checking for signs of a concusion. He did start feeling sick, but we were able to get that under control.

This injury was magnified due to the fact that Doyle is a brass player. This means his lip is used for more than kissing me. I tried to make the best decision whether to take him to the hospital or not. My step-brother is a P.A., so when he called to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, he gave me some direction. We decided not to get stitches and I hope I did the right thing. The outside of his lip has healed up, but the inside has some scar tissue that could be a problem in playing the trumpet. He has several Cornerstone concerts coming up--the first one this Thursday night. He plays trombone for them and he is hoping that he will be able to play. He has not been able to practice very much because of the bruising, so we are praying for it to heal properly. There is a possibility he might have to have some scar tissue cut out in the future.

Benjamin and Samuel singing in a children's group at church. I am not sure what Joseph was looking at.

Hannah and Charity (2 of Lou Ann's girls)

Esther's girls (Melanie and Alayna) with my girls.

Samuel gets a new set to add to his Mars Mission.

Joseph is happy to open another gift.

We were glad to have Karen's sister, Paula, and her daughter, Celeste, join us in our festivities.

Doyle does not lack for attention from the kids. Here Daniel and Hannah pose for a picture while Joesph hangs on his back.

Lydia adds a little decoration to her face.

Julianna with her American Girl book of plays to perform.

Lou Ann and I help Hannah put her puzzle together.

Grandpa Dave, Melanie, and Sarah enjoy some snuggle time. I think this is so cute the way Sarah fell asleep and Melanie is holding her little head up.

Mom making homemade biscuits.

Chris gives his opinion while playing a game.

Helping with yard work-Lydia doing the raking.

Samuel making the job easier.

Joseph-busy as a bee.

Josiah turned 4, so we celebrated his birthday.

Joseph and Josiah-real buddies.

Esther made carmel marshmallow treats-Mom and I help with the dipping.

Trying to play in the skim of snow.

Mom and Dave's big house-room for everyone.

The girls really enjoyed being outside in the cold.

We had some time to sew together. Julianna takes her turn at the machine.

After a wonderful vacation, it was time to say "good-bye." Mom and Dave see us off.

Christmas Memories--Part 1

2009-01-09T18:42:00.039-06:00

I downloaded over 600 pictures of Christmas memories. Don't panic--I decided not to post them all. I will share just a few to give my readers an idea of how our time was spent. Before we left for the north land, we had our family Christmas here.

Julianna gets her stocking down.

Doyle gets a brain teaser puzzle.

Samuel was excited to get some new kleats.

One of Lydia's gifts was a new dress-up outfit.

Here is Superman to the rescue.

I received a new marble slab-something I had been wanting for a long time. I have already used it for fudge and it turned out so yummy.

We left early Friday morning to head up north. We stayed all night in mid Georgia and then went to my relatives in northern Kentucky. I am very close to my aunt, uncle, cousins, and their families and can not imagine Christmas without this visit.
Here the kids hold gifts from Erma and Marvin.

We also held a concert in Connersville, Indiana. This was a new experience for our family. The kids played their instruments and we sang together. My dad pastored this church for 10 years and it was a real privilege to go back and visit with friends I had not seen in 22 years.

When we are together with my cousin's kids, they always put on a play. Tim, David, and I find this interesting since we used to do the same thing for our parents. This year Julianna and Brittany (the oldest 2 of the group) did an outstanding job of ordering the other kids around and making sure the Christmas story was told with new meaning.

We celebrated Uncle Marvin's 70th birthday. His family did a great job of making sure he was remembered with style.

Aunt Erma opens the chocolate shells I brought her.

Tim and David doing what we do a lot of at Erma and Marvin's house-eating and visiting.

We all went to the Creation Museum one night for their "Walk through Bethlehem" experience. It was so cold that night. Of course we had to take the kids' pictures again in front of a dinosaur.

Here they pose with the soldier and shepherd.

Freezing outside. Patty and Kelly are behind Erma and Marvin. They faired better in the outside elements than the Bozone bunch. When we went from 70 degree weather to 3 degrees in a couple of days, the Bozone bodies had a little trouble adjusting.

Joseph thought that a dinosaur decorated up with Christmas lights was pretty cool.

We said "good-bye" and headed for my mom's house the Tuesday morning before Christmas. If I had had any idea what kind of trip we were going to have, I would have stayed another night. It usually takes 4 hours to travel from Northern Kentucky to my mom's house in Northern Indiana. The weather was brutal-it took us almost 8 hours to get to our destination. I thought we might not make it. I cried, prayed, and did not dare go to sleep. The freezing rain, dark night, and wrecks everywhere made one nervous mama. After we crossed the Ohio river at 3 miles per hour, they closed it down for 7 hours. I never have been so glad to see the lights of home.

HOME AT LAST!!

2009-01-05T08:07:00.004-06:00

Vacation has come to an end. After 3,000 miles of traveling, lots of good memories with family and friends, a few interesting moments(explanation later), we are home. We are very thankful to God for keeping us safe on our 2 week vacation. It is a strange feeling to come home after being with family for awhile. I look forward to returning to Florida, but know I won't see my loved ones until summer. I think I will pray that they get so much snow and ice that I can talk them into visiting the sunny south. Well, my goal for today is to finish unpacking and begin the process of taking all of my Christmas decorations down.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

2008-12-18T22:22:00.005-06:00

I wanted to take a moment in the midst of a very busy season to wish all my blogger friends a very Merry Christmas.

Happy Anniversary !!

2008-12-16T10:06:00.009-06:00

Happy Anniversary to the man of my dreams. We have been married 14 years today. I am living proof that if you leave the choice to God, He gives you the best. There is no way anyone could convince me that our relationship was not meant to be. I know that God, through his providence, brought us together. I will be eternally grateful for that fact.

This picture was taken on our 1st Anniversary.

THE SINGING CHRISTMAS TREE AND TOWN PARADE

2008-12-12T10:35:00.059-06:00

I have always been proud of our church and school, but last week really was a time for the cummunity to see Jesus shine through our organizations. The Singing Christmas Tree performed 4 nights. One of the tree performances was on the same day as the Hobe Sound Parade--Saturday afternoon. When you are involved in both, it keeps you hopping. It certainly was an enventful, but rewarding time. I marched in the front of the parade to keep things together and carried water and supplies just in case they were needed.

It is quite the procession--the flags and banners came first with the Marching Band next. (Doyle walked backwards the whole parade-that is why I had to make sure he didn't mow the banners down.) Following the band was the float with kids walking beside it handing our candy.

Lydia got to walk beside the float.

The Happy Birthday Jesus float.

The Nativity-only in the south would they be barefooted.

Joseph rode on the float. The theme was "Happy Birthday to Jesus"--Here everything is ready for the party.

Anthony and Kelly Heath did a fantastic job of getting the float ready and supplying the truck. Anthony makes sure the candles are lit.

Kelly adjusting a party hat.

Doyle fixing a cover on a sousaphone.

Julianna takes a break from playing the cymbals.

Samuel in action.

Doug (from the college) played the quads the whole time, even when the band took a break. He was wiped out when it was all said and done. I told him he would probably be playing them in his sleep.

Tired and thirsty-ready to go home and take a break before performing in the Singing Tree again.

The Singing Christmas Tree

Mr. Mark Going did an incredible job as the director.

Julianna was able to be in the angel choir that did choreography during the Hallelujah Chorus.

Doyle during practice. He directed when Mr. Going was singing.

Doyle practicing with the brass quartet.

The kids watching the artist paint the beautiful town scene.

Julianna catching some of the snow.

Lydia was dressed as a package.

Time for a photo with my sweetie.

Samuel and Joseph dressed as Toy Soldiers.

Here they come-Soldiers on Parade!

Our kids in the stable after the program.

Walking home, lugging the kids after the last performance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAMUEL!!!

2008-12-04T10:38:00.025-06:00

Yes, we had another birthday at our house. My boys' birthdays are 6 days apart. Samuel turned 10 and this was his year for a party with friends. He wanted a Lego-themed party, which turned out to be a lot of fun.

I took cupcakes and milk to his classroom in the morning.

Samuel helps decorate the cake with sprinkles-lots of sprinkles.

This was my feeble effort at a Lego cake. The kids liked it.

We are ready for the guests to arrive.

We dumped a huge container of Legos of the floor for the kids to make all kinds of creative designs. I like this picture Doyle took of their hands.

Here is the rest of the guests.

Here they play a game trying to drop a Lego into a jar while standing on a stool.

Doyle was right at home with all of these boys. Here he explains the next project.

Gift time.

Guests pose for one more picture.

Birthdays are exhausting for my boys.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSEPH!!

2008-11-28T14:08:00.034-06:00

My youngest child turned 5 last Tuesday. This was his year to have a family party. He wanted a pirate cake, and since I paid way too much for the last one from the store, I decided to do my own. He also wanted some candy fish and turtles. It was a little cluttered, but I have learned not to sweat about these things. It wouldn't make it in a magazine, but it tasted good and he loved it. I put a treasure chest in the cake with a clue in it saying where to find one of his gifts. There is a red X on the cake, along with some pirates, showing him where to dig--that is why he is holding a spoon and ready to go.

He had to lick the cake off the treasure chest before opening it.

One of his gifts was a spotting scope. Of course, he had to try it out.

He had been asking for a watch for a long time. I am sure he will be telling time in a few days.

Joseph received a lego set; I think Samuel was helping him snap something together.

Lydia reads her card and explains her gift.

Julianna reads her card to him.

She also made him a pillow with a puppy in the pocket.

When you ask him how old he is now, he makes this crazy face and gives you a high five.

He is a big boy now. We were going for a walk a few days ago, and I said "Whee" when he went down a hill. He said, "Mom, you don't need to say 'whee' anymore, I am a big boy now." I laughed, but it made me a little sad.

Trip to Orlando

2008-11-19T09:31:00.047-06:00

I mentioned in an ealier post that Julianna had placed 1st in a regional spelling bee, and that she would be going to state competition. Last Friday we got up early to make that trip. The competition was tough, but we were so proud when she took 3rd place. It took an hour and a half to finish her division. She even got a word that we had never heard of. She spelled that one correctly which kept her in longer. She was relieved when it was all over-she was ready to have some fun.

After we ate, we went to Downtown Disney. This place is perfect when you don't have a whole day to spend at an amusement park. It is free to go through all of the shops, take a boat ride, and enjoy Disney theme stores all decked out for Christmas.

The first place we visited was the huge Lego shop. Samuel absolutely loves creating with Legos, so he enjoyed all that they had to offer. Here are the choices of loose Legos on the wall that you can buy.

If you need a particular Lego person, I am sure you could find it here.

A Lego Santa.

How would you like for your kids to have to put this creature together?

A Lego family-complete with dogs.

Of course, the kids liked the moving dinosaur.

Kids could build a Lego car and race it down a track.

One of my favorite places was Ghirardelli's. They were handing out yummy peppermint bark when you walked in the door. We shared a waffle ice cream cone-so delicious.

Goofy in person!!

Enjoying our boat ride.

Yes, we had to have a family picture. We were pretty tired at this point.

A benefit of living in south Florida--beautiful poinsettias in the ground.

The candy shop-fudge anyone?

Lydia longingly looking in the window.

After we left Downtown Disney, we went to Daryl's house, Doyle's brother. He had invited us over for a cookout and to spend the night. The kids love spending time with him--he really spoils them. Daryl and Amber went all out to make us feel special: grilled meat, fresh green beans, stir-fry, and a home-made pound cake. Lydia is busy catching them up on the day's events.

Relaxing in the hammock.

It was too cool to get in the pool, but that did not stop them from sticking their feet in.

This game of checkers was interesting-they have different ideas of how the game should be played.

We all went for a walk in the morning. Daryl gave the kids a ride in the wheelbarrow.

Here they go!

Doyle gives Daryl a break.

Julianna makes sure Blaze has his exercise.

We had such a nice time being together. It was a wonderful weekend.

Ministry Opportunity for Concert Band

2008-11-10T10:33:00.024-06:00

The Concert Band (consisting of grades 7-10) had the opportunity to minister to the residents of Hobe Sound Manors. It was a neat thing to see young people using their talents to honor God and bring a little sunshine to those dear folks who can not come out to a concert. Mr. Jim Olsen was our faithful bus driver.

Doyle gets them ready to play.

I am so proud of my man.

It was so special to see some of our own church members whom we have not seen for awhile. Sis. Knuckles, former seamstress for the school, kept beat with the band.

Bro. Rundell, Becky Veyon's father, seemed to enjoy himself.

Sis. Orr, former seamstress for the school and church, watching the concert.

The band played several pieces, but the audience was also favored with a few small groups. Here the trumpet trio plays a tune.

The girls play a flute trio--very nice.

Doyle insists that they spend some time visiting with the residents after the concert. I think it is beneficial for both parties to share their lives.

Whitney meets a new friend.

I like this picture of Sarah Stetler visiting with Sis. Orr.

We had an ice cream party for the band afterwards. Here Amanda makes sure she gets enough caramel topping.

I believe that God used these kids to lift the spirits of the elderly. We are proud of them and know that they were a blessing to those who are in the sunset years of their lives.

Trick or Treat

2008-11-03T15:30:00.026-06:00

Friday night we took the kids out to beg candy from all the neighbors. Actually, there was an organized event on campus. It was so much fun visiting with all of our dear friends in a safe environment. After they visited those on campus, they carried their bulging candy bags into the van to go to Jupiter to a Baptist Church event. We really enjoy taking the kids to a Biblical-based fun evening. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and declared it the best ever as we came back home.

Julianna decided on being a Chef since she had made an apron with my mom this summer.

Samuel wanted to be a pirate. The swords and patch went by the wayside as they were out gathering candy.

Lydia is Red Riding Hood with her basket of goodies.

Joseph also wanted to be a pirate. We thought it was very appropriate since he is missing his front tooth.

Are there any other moms out there that are tempted to take some of the candy out of their bags and slip them into Christmas stockings?--just wondering.

And the Winner is......(drum roll please)..JULIANNA BOZONE!!!

2008-11-01T07:48:00.023-05:00

I am one proud mama-Julianna just placed 1st in the Regional Spelling Bee at West Palm. Doyle and I were a little dramatic when they announced her name. Let me explain. Our school participates in 2 different Spelling Bees. The first one of the year is organized by FACCS (Florida Association Christian College and Schools). We had a spell-off in each classroom from grades 1-8 to choose the top 3 spellers to go to Regional Competition in West Palm where they compete with about 5 other schools. The top 4 winners go to State Competition in Orlando.

We did not push her to do this since she has so many other things she is involved in: homework, projects, practicing 2 instruments daily, sewing, and band. We told her that if she wanted to go over the lists, bring them to us and we would give her the words. By the way, each grade has 600 words on the list plus they could be given a word up to 2 grades above them, meaning there are 1,800 words to study.

When they get to 6th grade level, the words are pretty hard. We went through some of them, but did not spell each word. She looked over them and we went with that.
On the way to the bee, we were trying to calm her down. We told her that if she got out on the first word, it still had been a learning process and we were proud of her. We stressed that a proper attitude, winning or losing, was extremely important.

Before the bee began, Julianna and Doyle were walking past the table on which the ribbons lay. Doyle jokingly said to Julianna while pointing to a blue ribbon, "Look, this ribbon has your name on it!"

When they had eliminated all but 4 people, I saw that look come into her eyes. At this point, I am glad that my blood pressure was not being monitored. Anyway, she came in first place and there couldn't have been 2 prouder parents. Julianna went around for the rest of the day on a cloud. Hobe Sound Christian Academy was well represented. There were some other winners from our school and I know some of you will hear about that through their blogs. It is off to Orlando in 2 weeks--so here we go!!

Abortion . . . the Real Issue

2008-10-28T19:24:00.004-05:00

I decided to share from my heart about the upcoming election. I have been waiting for the real issue to be addressed. I want to go on record that I care very much about the current problems; the economy, energy efficiency, education, health care, foreign policies, and other things that we as a nation simply cannot ignore. There is one issue that I believe decides who I will vote for next week--abortion. I know that in some people's eyes, this issue holds little significance to the failing economy. I will vote for McCain simply on this issue. I agree with him on a host of other issues and disagree with him on some.

Even if I were guaranteed wealth, health, and happiness by voting for Obama, I wouldn't because this world is not just about me. There are multitudes of babies being murdered at the hands of selfish people. The unborn children do not get to vote because they do not have a voice. It is up to me as a citizen of this great country to give them a voice. This is not the first time our country has been at the crossroads concerning the value of human life. If you read the history books, you will find other instances when someone had to speak for someone else. We do not have to look very far back to see an example. Let's look at slavery and the Civil War. I am sure that it was not popular among the slave owners to think about giving freedom to a black person. Why should he/she have a voice? Well, there happen to be some people that thought that all men were created equal. President Lincoln "went to bat" for these precious people and fought for their freedom. I hope Obama thinks about this when he is out campaining. He wouldn't even have the right to run for President of the United States if someone had not fought for his freedom. I hope he realizes that his life is no more valuable that that of an unborn child. There are several of us who were greatly offended by his statement that referred to children as a punishment. Let me clarify. When he was talking about abortion and said that, "I've got two daughters. If they make a mistake, I don't want them to be punished with a baby."

Does it scare you to think that we could stoop so low to elect a president that viewed children as a punishment? I have been thinking about that and would love to ask him a question about his statement. What was the mistake? I find it very amusing that we are surprised when pregnancy takes place. Some of us know how it happens-it is called sex. I believe that abstinence still works 100% of the time. You want to avoid pregnancy, don't have sex. It sounds simple, but people still want to make choices without consequences. That is not the real world!! I will go so far as to say that I don't believe children are accidents. God may send surprises, but not accidents. There is a solution to these problems. Choose to not have sex before marriage. If you choose to marry, enjoy all of the benefits that come with this union, including children. Your body does not know if you are married or not, so when a pregnancy takes place, a human life comes into existence. Why should you punish an innocent life because you made the decison to engage in an activity that we all still knows brings about pregnancy. Don't be surprised--we are all a result of sex. It is God's plan that sex only happens in a marriage, but some time people make desicions that are against God's design. When this happens, the next step is not to make another bad decision and murder your flesh and blood. Ask God to forgive your activity and welcome this little one into your life as a gift from God.

If you looked out your window one day and saw your neighbor with a dead toddler slung over her shoulder, and a shovel in hand, you would call the authorities. Can you imagine when the police came to your home to get more details on what you just witnessed, you began to explain to them that they really should not view this as murder because this lttle kid was a real inconvenience in your neighbor's life. The neighbor had just lost her job and her boyfriend had moved out. It was not a good time for her to have a toddler in her life. I am sure the police would look at you in a peculiar way and probably send you for a psychiatric evaluation. The only difference between abortion and toddler killing is that one form of murder is legal and the other is not.

I know this view sounds "far out" to most people, but let's just face the facts. Our present day philosophy of selfishness is not taking our country in the right direction. I know abortions are given to all ages of women, but I think it all starts with the views we are teaching our children. With that in mind, I am discussing young unmarrried girls. It really bothers me when I hear people say that young people are going to engage in pre-marital sexual activity anyway, so let's just make sure they are protected. Protected from what? Pregnancy is not a disease-and wearing a condom doesn't keep a person from sexual transmitted diseases, let alone the the heartache of giving your moral purity to someone who was unwilling to wait until marriage. I believe that kids are smart and can rise to the challenge if we as adults would set the example. If I tell my kids that I know they are probably not going to make good grades, but try anyway, they probably won't bring home staight A's. On the other hand, if I tell them I believe they can do well, work with them, study, and help them in every area I can, I will get a better result. Why not carry this philosophy into other areas of their lives. When I go into the public library, there are books telling my child that they can do anything and be anything they want to be. Please tell me why that same child can not live a pure life.

First of all, we have allowed our culture to dictate to us what is right and wrong. I live here in south Florida where it is common to see sea turtle nests protected by posts and ropes. Someone is protecting something that cannot protect itself. I think it is pretty obvious that things are a little lopsided when a person is fined for bothering a turle egg and yet it is legal to kill children before birth. We can not depend on society to set our code of ethics. There is a better way to have absolute truth-the Bible.

So, how can we live a life that is pure. Well, I believe that we need help from another Source. I believe that source is God. When we accept him into our lives, he equips us to do the right thing. With His help, we can live a life that is fulfilled and rewarding. I am not living a life just for myself, I am living it to bring glory to God.

I can not imagine any thinking person voting for a man who promises that if he should get into office, he will take away the current restrictions on abortion. This action will guarantee the murder of more little Americans before they get a chance to experience life outside of the womb. Wake up America!!

Something To Think About

2008-10-22T16:58:00.004-05:00

--- On Wed, 10/8/08, Pw823@aol.com wrote:

From: Pw823@aol.com
Subject: Fw: Change anyone?
To:
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2008, 12:41 PM

Subject: :-) Change anyone?

I wish I could claim the writing you're about to read. I can't.. This piece was written by a Cuban refuge named Manuel Alvarez, Jr. who escaped from communist Cuba on June 30, 1968. You will find his observations very prophetic... and very chilling. Make sure you get this into the hands of every person you know. Make sure you get this into the hands of every State GOP official you can you reach by email. These remarks could change the election.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch
Monday, July 7, 2008
Excerpt from 'Letters to the Editor'

Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate my independence day. On July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950's, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor, and br ing free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said 'Praise the Lord.' And when the young leader said,'I will be for change and I'll bring you change,' everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!'

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall --in America --for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Would we?

Manuel Alvarez Jr.
Sandy Hook.

Let me pose a question: By the time Sen. Obama's much-promised, soon-coming (but never discussed) change takes place, and the American people are forced to take to their boats, rafts and inner tubes ...where do we go? Cuba? Haiti? Think about that when you go out to vote on November 4 because this is the most critical election of your life. And, by the way, remember this too, Not one single person has thought to ask Sen. Obama to be very specific in telling us precisely what changes he plans to make in our United States of America.

â€”Jon Christian Ryter

Family Fun Fan

2008-10-21T10:27:00.016-05:00

I always look forward to the next edition of "Family Fun." There is a nice assortment of recipes, crafts, and games to do as a family. We decided to try a few recipes celebrating fall.

The truckload of pumpkins is made from circus peanuts cut in half. Glue the bottoms together with a gummy piece--this also serves as a stem. Squish them together into a ball and make lines with a knife.

Here are some leaves that people don't mind raking into their mouths. Take a piecrust and use a cookie cutter to cut out leaf shapes. Make a glaze of 1 egg and 1t. water to brush on the leaves. Put chocolate chips between layers and add another leaf. Pinch down the sides to hold together. Glaze and add sugar. Bake at 375 until golden brown. I did not fill all of them, I baked some of them with just the glaze and sugar on them. Both kinds were very good.

Abortion-The Real Issue

2008-10-16T10:08:00.041-05:00

I decided to share from my heart about the upcoming election. I have been waiting for the real issue to be addressed. I want to go on record that I care very much about the current problems; the economy, energy efficiency, education, health care, foreign policies, and other things that we as a nation simply cannot ignore. There is one issue that I believe decides who I will vote for next week--abortion. I know that in some people's eyes, this issue holds little significance to the failing economy. I will vote for McCain simply on this issue. I agree with him on a host of other issues and disagree with him on some.

Even if I were guaranteed wealth, health, and happiness by voting for Obama, I wouldn't because this world is not just about me. There are multitudes of babies being murdered at the hands of selfish people. The unborn children do not get to vote because they do not have a voice. It is up to me as a citizen of this great country to give them a voice. This is not the first time our country has been at the crossroads concerning the value of human life. If you read the history books, you will find other instances when someone had to speak for someone else. We do not have to look very far back to see an example. Let's look at slavery and the Civil War. I am sure that it was not popular among the slave owners to think about giving freedom to a black person. Why should he/she have a voice? Well, there happen to be some people that thought that all men were created equal. President Lincoln "went to bat" for these precious people and fought for their freedom. I hope Obama thinks about this when he is out campaining. He wouldn't even have the right to run for President of the United States if someone had not fought for his freedom. I hope he realizes that his life is no more valuable that that of an unborn child. There are several of us who were greatly offended by his statement that referred to children as a punishment. Let me clarify. When he was talking about abortion and said that, "I've got two daughters. If they make a mistake, I don't want them to be punished with a baby."

Does it scare you to think that we could stoop so low to elect a president that viewed children as a punishment? I have been thinking about that and would love to ask him a question about his statement. What was the mistake? I find it very amusing that we are surprised when pregnancy takes place. Some of us know how it happens-it is called sex. I believe that abstinence still works 100% of the time. You want to avoid pregnancy, don't have sex. It sounds simple, but people still want to make choices without consequences. That is not the real world!! I will go so far as to say that I don't believe children are accidents. God may send surprises, but not accidents. There is a solution to these problems. Choose to not have sex before marriage. If you choose to marry, enjoy all of the benefits that come with this union, including children. Your body does not know if you are married or not, so when a pregnancy takes place, a human life comes into existence. Why should you punish an innocent life because you made the decison to engage in an activity that we all still knows brings about pregnancy. Don't be surprised--we are all a result of sex. It is God's plan that sex only happens in a marriage, but some time people make desicions that are against God's design. When this happens, the next step is not to make another bad decision and murder your flesh and blood. Ask God to forgive your activity and welcome this little one into your life as a gift from God.
If you looked out your window one day and saw your neighbor with a dead toddler slung over her shoulder, and a shovel in hand, you would call the authorities. Can you imagine when the police came to your home to get more details on what you just witnessed, you began to explain to them that they really should not view this as murder because this lttle kid was a real inconvenience in your neighbor's life. The neighbor had just lost her job and her boyfriend had moved out. It was not a good time for her to have a toddler in her life. I am sure the police would look at you in a peculiar way and probably send you for a psychiatric evaluation. The only difference between abortion and toddler killing is that one form of murder is legal and the other is not.
I know this view sounds "far out" to most people, but let's just face the facts. Our present day philosophy of selfishness is not taking our country in the right direction. I know abortions are given to all ages of women, but I think it all starts with the views we are teaching our children. With that in mind, I am discussing young unmarrried girls. It really bothers me when I hear people say that young people are going to engage in pre-marital sexual activity anyway, so let's just make sure they are protected. Protected from what? Pregnancy is not a disease-and wearing a condom doesn't keep a person from sexual transmitted diseases, let alone the the heartache of giving your moral purity to someone who was unwilling to wait until marriage. I believe that kids are smart and can rise to the challenge if we as adults would set the example. If I tell my kids that I know they are probably not going to make good grades, but try anyway, they probably won't bring home staight A's. On the other hand, if I tell them I believe they can do well, work with them, study, and help them in every area I can, I will get a better result. Why not carry this philosophy into other areas of their lives. When I go into the public library, there are books telling my child that they can do anything and be anything they want to be. Please tell me why that same child can not live a pure life.

First of all, we have allowed our culture to dictate to us what is right and wrong. I live here in south Florida where it is common to see sea turtle nests protected by posts and ropes. Someone is protecting something that cannot protect itself. I think it is pretty obvious that things are a little lopsided when a person is fined for bothering a turle egg and yet it is legal to kill children before birth. We can not depend on society to set our code of ethics. There is a better way to have absolute truth-the Bible.

So, how can we live a life that is pure. Well, I believe that we need help from another Source. I believe that source is God. When we accept him into our lives, he equips us to do the right thing. With His help, we can live a life that is fulfilled and rewarding. I am not living a life just for myself, I am living it to bring glory to God.

I can not imagine any thinking person voting for a man who promises that if he should get into office, he will take away the current restrictions on abortion. This action will guarantee the murder of more little Americans before they get a chance to experience life outside of the womb. Wake up America!!

MANY HANDS MAKE . . . . A MESS!!!!

2008-10-14T16:02:00.021-05:00

A few weeks ago our family was pulled into a project for Julianna. The sixth graders had to make a valcano and demonstrate how an eruption takes place.

I don't think the rest of our kids minded getting their hands in the clay. I learned that it is a little tricky to get clay off the floor and table if it is given time to dry.

Julianna shaping the clay over a bottle.

Samuel peeking over her shoulder while she shows us how to mix the baking soda and vinegar.

The end result--Shazzzzaaaaamm!!

That project is done and my freezer is getting full of bugs for Samuel's insect collection due next week. The fun never ends.

A Day at the Ranch

2008-10-06T17:10:00.046-05:00

Since the kids were off school Friday, we decided to take them to a local ranch. It really was a neat experience for all of us. Julianna has a great fascination with horses and dreams of riding. The owner showed us all of her animals and the kids got to feed some of them. She also gave each of them their first horse riding lesson.

Julianna meets the horse that they will ride.

I think she was on cloud nine as she learned to start and stop, give commands, and turn the horse.

Samuel and Lydia hold the ferrets.

Two eager sheep wait for food.

Lydia tries to feed two goats and a sheep at the same time.

Samuel makes a friend.

Joseph gets in on the fun.

We got to see some rabbits that were 2 days old.

The cutest rabbits were the ones that were about 2 weeks old.

Joseph gets some assistance from Julianna.

We also got to visit the chickens and take 2 eggs home.

The kids learned how to put on the saddle and groom the horse before their riding lesson.

I love the look on Joseph's face when he got up on the horse.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the double pony-tail.

Joseph takes his turn. I think he felt pretty important giving commands to a horse.

Samuel thoroughly enjoying himself.

Lydia taking her turn at riding a horse.

Lydia's ice pop looks inviting to this pot-bellied pig.

We left the ranch and went to the mall for awhile. We really enjoyed being together and having a more relaxed schedule for a change. We ended our day by getting Taco Bell and taking our supper to a park by the water. The sunset was beautiful!

We took a walk on the boardwalk and declared it a good day.

Memory Pillows

2008-10-02T10:36:00.019-05:00

When my dad went to live with Jesus 10 years ago, most of his clothes were given to those that were in need. Dad was 5'7" and I think they were sent to the Phillippines where they can use clothes made for shorter men. I asked for 3 items for memories' sake. I rememberd Dad wearing a soft plaid shirt and blue casual pants a lot. I had also given him a sweatshirt jacket. I took the clothes that looked so familiar and placed them in a container. They brought back so many memories. I have a picture of dad carving the Thanksgiving turkey, and I think he was wearing this particular outfit. I was not in an emmotional state to deal with much right after I lost him, but recently I came upon the familiar fabric as I was going through my sewing box on a rainy day. I thought, "I am going to do something with those clothes." This was pretty scary since I am not much of a seamstress. I know that some people think that you should not do a job if you cannot do it perfectly. In the case of sewing, I disagree---I think that it is better for some things to be done wrong than not to be done at all. I know there are exceptions to this rule, but I decided that I was going to try to make pillows out of Dad's clothes. Julianna and I sat down and had so much fun being creative with this project. We went with three different designs: I used the soft gray sweatshirt for the back of the large pillow. I took advantage of the pockets and put them on the small one. The medium size pillow is actually his shirt buttons across the top. It really was so good for me to do this. When I walk by the chair that holds these soft remembrances of a man I love so much, I feel like I am getting a big hug.

CFC Reunion!

2008-09-19T18:33:00.094-05:00

This summer I had the privilege of attending a very special reunion. I grew up in The Church of the Bible Covenant and have so many wonderful memories. As an infant, I was there when the denomination came into existence, and was also there when the big split took place. As I grew up, I always dreamed of attending our denominational college. After I graduated from high school, I attended Covenant Foundation College for 2 years. I made so many friends, and will always cherish the memories I made in this time. As the denomination folded, the college had to come to an end. I will never forget the pit in my stomach, the tears, the whys I asked God. As I look back, I realize that God uses everything in our life to bring out the best in us if we allow him to do that. The students left and went in all directions; I waited a year and went to G.B.S. Even though I went on with my life, I still missed the people I grew up with and wondered about them a lot. I was so excited to learn that a CFC reunion was being planned for this summer. It was a weekend that I will never forget. We came together as a potpourri of believers and had the time of our lives. Tears, laughter, and stories were heard from all corners of the campus.

The campus is out in the country--so beautiful.

This is a group of us after the Saturday night concert. Different people came on different nights, so I am not sure how many actually attended the reunion.

Rebecca, Johnna, Susan, and I share a laugh.

While I was in a business meeting, Doyle took the kids out in the boat. As you can see, they were having a good time.

Greg Patterson, Kenny Johansen, and Nathan Hann sing in a trio.

Mark Going, Nathan Hann, Johnny Dodrill, and Danny Dubbeld sing in a quartet that brought back a lot of memories.

Rebecca (Patterson) Hoard, Lorraine(Kennedy)Johansen, and I sang in a trio 22 years ago. I have seen both of them through the years, but the 3 of us had not been together since 1986. We had such a good time singing and reminiscing. We even remembered our parts on the songs we sang. We had a blast.

Dr. Ray Easley gave the message Sunday morning. It was so good to hear him speak again. The truth was so practical as he challenged us to go forward for Christ. I left so encouraged.

Ronda gets a hug from Amos Hann.

David and Elva Hann and their kids.

Bro. and Sis. Hann-Precious people.

Milton and Donna Schaper and 2 of their 3 kids.

Teresa and Sharon---They sang with Shirley in a trio when I was a little girl.

When we were in school, we wrote a song for a Valentine's Banquet. We dressed up as sailors and sang "Ship a Boy." We had to sing this one for our husbands.

Rebecca's girl, Emma, had become friends with our girls when they visited us in Florida. They were very glad to see each other again.

The Patterson clan-minus 1.

Here we are with "our catch".

Julianna, Lydia, and Kaitlyn Johansen-another good friend.

We hated to say "good-bye".

I had to put my feet in the water before I left.

Fun on the pond.

Dr. and Mrs. H.C. Emmert made the trip from Oklahoma to be there. It was so good to see them.

Ronda England came over to see me while I was there. It was good to see her again.

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Hann.

We went ice-skating downtown Indianapolis---it seemed a little strange in August.

There will be another reunion in 3 years. Until then, I look forward to keeping in touch with my friends. I left the reunion feeling like I had healed so much emotionally. A big thanks to all of those that made this special week-end happen.

"More Memories"

2008-09-10T14:47:00.045-05:00

Here are a few more pictures from our trip up north this summer. We made so many wonderful memories being together with those we love.

This is my brother and his wife, Kerry and Karen, and their kids, Kaleesha and Kaleb. We had a nice time with them on our way back home. I wish we could see them more often.

Julianna is really enjoying learning more about photography. This is a treasure she found in a tree. I think she did a nice job.

The kids lured two dogs into the yard. They named the canines, fed them table scraps, and loved the life out of them. I have a feeling that my mom might get a few more visit from these pooches. I am sure they had good homes, but as they took a walk around the neighborhood, 4 kids considered them homeless.

Lydia makes sure he does not go anywhere.

We also spent some time fishing at a friend's pond. The kids really enjoyed this time out in the quiet of nature.

Julianna takes her turn at catching a fish.

Doyle and Lydia traipse through the weeds.

Joseph waiting for a fish to bite. No, he does not have a pole through his head. This drainage system got in the way of my camera moments.

Lydia and Samuel-quiet for a moment.

We also had a cookout-marshmallows anyone?

Julianna noticed several butterflies on the flowers where we went to pick blueberries. Of course, we had to get several shots.

Dave found a baby rabbit while mowing. The kids thought it was so cute and soft.

Here is our bunch by the beautiful wildflowers.

I hope I never get over the wonder of nature.

I got a little carried away with the butterfly pictures.

While we were picking blueberries, an annual tradition, I noticed several apples on the ground from a previous storm. I have fond memories of picking apples every September with my family while growing up. I always miss this time since I am back home in Florida in September. I asked the owner if I could buy some of the apples on the ground. She insisted that I take them. I took a couple of handfuls to make a pie.

This apple pie was especially good with home-made ice cream. Did I mention that you are not suppossed to diet on vacations?

Another shot of the wildflowers. I love flowers and look forward to every November when hurricane season is over and I can decorate my yard with the beauty of God's creation.

Joseph does a little taste testing.

I had to get a close-up.

Lydia stops to try a blueberry. They are so yummy straight off the tree.

Julianna enjoys filling her bucket.

Samuel and Joseph doing their part. With 8 people picking blueberries, it did not take long for us to have several pounds. I think they charged us $1.00 a pound.

Lydia and Joseph pause to play in the mud puddle.

Doyle keeps an eye open for exotic bikes. He likes to use them for summer band camp. Since he rides a unicyle, and has several other different bikes, he was immediately drawn to this collector trike. He bought 2 kids' (the last 2 they had) and several adult bikes. He got a great deal on them and has done a lot of research about the availability of these models. He got them from a close-out store and is selling them for $229. They sell for $300 on the internet. He brought one home to show if anyone is interested in buying one. We have the rest stored in Indiana and will bring them to Florida as people want them. Now, I have made my husband's sales pitch.

Samuel clowns around like he has seen his father do.

Joseph loves this bike-it is very durable and has some nice features.

My man and me--so happy together.

My cool boys...

...my sweet girls.

Well, that will have to do for now. I have one more post from our trip, my school reunion.

"Cousin Camp"

2008-09-02T08:24:00.079-05:00

Phase three of our vacation took place at my mom and step-dad's home. They have a big house and lots of love to share. We decided this summer to have a cousin's camp for the younger children. My brother's kids are 19 and 16, so they were a little beyond the Play-Doh stage. They were busy with a missions trip and my niece was getting ready to start a new college this fall. I did get to see them on the way home. I will post that picture next time. Anyway, back to cousin's camp. My sisters and I got married within 10 months of each other; we did not waste any time making sure there were enough grandkids. There are 12 kids 11 and under! Let's just say that it is not real quiet while the clan is together. We planned several activities, and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.

The cousin crew models their tie-dye shirts.

Alayna and Lydia grinning after I made their hair into crowns.

Here is a situation hard to explain-the adults playing Pit...

...and the kids quietly playing Scrabble-go figure. (It was nice to be the one yelling for a change.)

Mom showed the kids how to make home-made fudgesicles. Here Alayna takes a turn helping.

"Yummy"

Here we are with Mom (I am the short one--hee hee)

I couldn't resist putting Groucho glasses on Sarah-pretty cool, huh?

Doyle showed the kids how to make animal balloons.

My project was helping the kids tie-dye shirts. It was pretty involved, but we had a good time.

Here the kids get some assistance.

Esther made cupcakes and the kids got to decorate one like a clown. They turned out so nice.

Samuel making sure his clown is just right.

"Isn't he cute?"

Lydia and Alayna help in the kitchen.

Esther shows the kids how it is done.

One morning I made omelets in a bag--this works nice for a big crowd.

The guys spent time playing horseshoes. They became very competitive-Doyle and Chris rejoice in their victory.

Joseph with Josiah and Hannah.

The boys roll the soccer ball back and forth. I told them to move back to give more space between them. Each time one kid moved, the other one followed.

Benjamin and Samuel share some special time. I really like this picture.

"Just a swangin" I think Lou Ann was trying to get the baby to sleep at this time.

Watermelon time-so refreshing.

Dave and Doyle make sure everyone has a piece.

There is a story behind this picture. We were shopping and had way too much fun in Goodwill with their big half-price sale. Esther found these three glittering outfits hanging together. I am guessing that some flashy person died and their loved ones cleaned out the closet. For some reason, we decided to try them on and take a picture. We felt like little girls playing dress-up.

The boys enjoyed spending time in the treehouse. I think it became a pirate ship along with anything else their imagination wanted it to be.

We finally decided to use the clothes line for the heavy stuff. I was afraid the dryer might start smoking.

Here Doyle and I do our part with the chores.

Julianna holds the newest cousin.

Lydia pushing Charity on the swing.

Baby Sarah

The guys work so hard.

I think Samuel got some in his mouth.

Doyle even gave Melanie a clarinet lesson.

Here is the gang according to age. Joseph was tired of us taking pictures-he decides to hide.

Saying good-bye is never easy.

After my sisters and their families left, we continued to stay and make more memories with Mamaw and Grandpa Dave.

Time with the Stampers

2008-08-27T10:06:00.091-05:00

WARNING--LOTS OF PICTURES!!

I can't imagine going up north without a stop in northern Kentucky to visit my close family. This is my mom's sister and her family. We grew up spending a lot of time with them and I enjoy making more memories whenever I get the chance.

Here is Uncle Marvin enjoying a little time with Lydia and Joseph on the swing.

We were outside visiting and the kids heard the ice cream truck. I am not sure why, but Doyle has a weakness for these musical vehicles. The kids have noticed this and here he is buying them a treat. David and Kelly's family had not arrived yet, but Tim and Patty's kids were there and also decided to have a tasty snack.

The girls...

The boys-I think you could have figured that one out for yourself.

On Sunday we grabbed the kids and took a few pictures before they changed into play clothes. In this case, Tim and Patty's family had not arrived, so this is David and Kelly's kids with ours. Our boys are acting a little goofy.

The girls are cooperative with smiles.

Our family--I feel so blessed.

David and Kelly's family-so precious.

Aunt Erma and I in front of her pretty flowers.

We also celebrated Doyle's birthday while we were there. He actually had 2 parties-one at my aunt's and one at my mom's house. I feel blessed to have him as my husband.

Th next two pictures were taken after church on Sunday night. The kids were playing and I grabbed my camera. Jacob has picked flowers for his mommy.

Katie and Joseph ran around holding hands while talking to each other. It was very sweet.

The remainding pictures were taken at Parky's farm. Patty had suggested this as a fun activity for all of us to do. I am so glad she did. We all really enjoyed ourselves. There was so much to see and do for $2.00 a kid; you could not have beat the deal. I think our kids enjoyed it as much as an expensive amusement park-maybe more.

This is the outside play area.

Here is our gang--We were missing Marvin and David. We joined them later in the day.

Lydia feeding a gentle cow.

Here we are again.

The younger ones enjoyed pony rides-Joseph...

..and Lydia.

The view from our tractor ride through the woods.

We enjoyed an ice cream break.

Ms. Piggy cools off.

Julianna in the orchard. You could pick and eat the fruit and vegetables that were ripe.

O.K., so I did know the berry was not ripe when I gave it to Doyle. That is why I had my camera ready.

Joseph diligently looking for strawberries.

The kids got water form the windmill and watered the garden. They really enjoyed this activity.

Here I am by the grape arbor.

A beautiful sunflower.

A tractor ride around the lake.

Lydia watering the garden.

The flower bed, of course.

Samuel getting a turn at brushing a goat.

Erma's way of keeping the sun off.

Our 4 in front of the corn.

Jacob giving Uncle Tim a push.

Joseph going down the slide inside the big barn.

Tractor fun.

This is inside the 2 story barn. They thoroughly enjoyed playing hide and seek in here.

Julianna and Brittany peek out from behind the carrots.

Well, we really had a great time-we always do.

Wentworth Reunion

2008-08-25T08:21:00.066-05:00

We left Hobe Sound in July to be a part of several activities. The first on our list was the Wentworth Reunion. My dad was the youngest of 9 children--8 of those kids lived to be adults. Because we lived relatively close, we saw each other a lot--getting together at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I spent so much time on their farm and loved the life. The sad fact is that my grandparents are both dead, and there are only 4 remaining kids. The cousins have moved to different locations which make it almost impossible to get together. I really miss the days when we all gathered for holidays and farm events.

The reunion I attended in July was not only my Dad's siblings and their desendants, but also my grandpa and his siblings desendants. Of course, my grandpa and all of his 8 brothers are gone, but I really enjoyed getting to know the family that I had never met. I asked the lady in charge if they were going to take a group photo. They weren't, so I asked my grandpa's family to gather for a photo. This is a portion of how many there are. We always had a full house at my grandparent's farm

Here are my dad's two sisters and 2 brothers that remain.

My aunt Hilda shares some photos. Being the oldest of the clan, she knows quite a bit of valuable information and has so many interesting pictures. I think she was the only one with a camera in the "good ole days" and she definitely has the evidence of a lot of stories. I plan to take a scanner next time and get the history and copies of these amazing shots.

This is a picture of a picture so it is not a very good quality. I want a nice copy of this one-it is my dad(the little one) and his brother, Eugene. They are wearing their oldest brother's military hats. Clarence was serving in World War II. I love the old car in the background.

Wilma and Rosalin-more cousins.

Julianna meets a new cousin-their great-grandpas were twins.

Lydia makes a new friend-my counsin's granddaughter.

Samuel enjoys a game of pool.

Joseph watches a game of foosball.

My cousin, David, sporting his new wheelchair.

I met Sue. Our gandparents were twins.

My sister, Lou Ann, talking with Anthony.

We were entertained with true Bluegrass music. After all, we were in Kentucky. We have come a long way from our original heritage in England.

Heather and her kids.

Brooke and her kids. Both Heather and Brooke's husbands were not able to come.

My cousin Terry and me. Our dads are brothers.

My cousin,Roger, and me. He is 6 months older than me, and I never let him forget it.

Here I am talking to my dad's two brothers. I enjoyed chatting with them, but they reminded me so much of my dad that I wanted to find a corner to go cry. It really made me miss my dad.

After leaving the reunion, I went to put flowers on my dad's grave. I also put flowers on all 4 grandparents graves and the graves of other close relatives.

Here Joseph stops to put a flower in my hair.

We had a nice time being with our relatives. I truly hope to do it again next year.

SCHOOL STARTS------AND STOPS!!

2008-08-19T18:09:00.013-05:00

Before I get caught up on the summer's activities, I will report on this week's events. The kids started classes on Monday. Here they are all ready for the first day of this school year. Julianna is in the 6th, Samuel is in the 4th, and Lydia is in the 2nd grade. Things went well, but the rain begin to fall on Monday as we prepared for the arrival of Tropical Storm Fay. We found out Monday afternnoon that school was cancelled for Tuesday.

It rained all night and most of the day. The wind and rain made it perfect to have a relaxing day at home.

The palm trees blow in the wind.

Our streets were flooded.

What does a kid do when the rain finally stops? This is what Samuel does!!

I have been playing around with my new camera and took this picture of Lydia looking out at the canal.

I got some sewing projects done and now I need to help Doyle make sure that all of his music folders are ready to go tomorrow.

WE ARE HOME!!!

2008-08-13T16:24:00.005-05:00

After being gone for about two and a half weeks, we have returned home. We arrived back in Hobe Sound Tuesday afternoon. I spent the remainder of the day unpacking suitcases and doing 6 loads of laundry. We had such a nice time being with family and friends. We attended 2 different reunions and spent time making lots of memories together. Now it is time to get everything ready for school to start in a few days. We are thankful to God for safety in travel and for a wonderful vacation. I am looking forward to catching my blogger friends up on our adventures with lots of pictures.

"Our New Piano"

2008-07-23T21:13:00.014-05:00

We decided to buy a new piano about a month ago. Our old one was beyond repairing, so we began the search. It was a major decision for us as a family. Whenever we make a big purchase, we do a lot of research before making it final. After we saw this piano, I called all over the country to salespeople who couldn't actually make a sale and asked their opinion. We made the decision to go with a digital white baby grand. I wanted something that served our needs as a piano and looked good as a piece of furniture. I know that some people say to only buy acoustic (hammer and strings), but we also realized there is so much you can do on a digital that you can not do on an acoustic. We were not buying it to resale, but to encourage our kids as they develop their musical talents. We are so happy with our choice. It has so many features including disks and an SD card to download. It does just about everything except mop the kitchen floor. Of course, I have that taken care of too. I can just tell the kids that they can't play the piano until the floor is mopped.

Here are the four kids with instruments--one crazy bunch.

I found Julianna playing and discovered that she had laid a track and then played it back adding another part. It is so neat seeing the kids experiencing with all of the possibilities.

Here Lydia used the headphones. This is a nice feature if I want to play the piano after the kids are gone to bed.

We feel so thankful to God for allowing us to have so much fun while learning new things on the piano.

Our mini concert

2008-07-21T15:20:00.022-05:00

We decided to have a Bozone kid's concert while Marlin and Elaine were here. Their kids are also involved in music like ours are, and it was neat to see them making music together.
Daniel and Samuel playing a trumpet duet.

The girls playing a violin trio.

Lydia had just started playing the bells in band camp, so she showed us what she was learning.

Of course the little guys had to have a turn. We were howling as they both took a turn at the slide trumpet.(Doyle's new toy)
Joseph blasting away.

Andrew doing a tune.

Julianna plays a piano solo.

Doyle and Marlin having way too much fun with a sax duet.

We also were invited to the Negron's house. This is Elaine's sister and her family. Her dad and stepmom also were there. We really enjoyed ourselves. Here is a good game of Dutch Blitz.

The guys playing a game of basketball.

Joseph and Andrew played so well together. They had not seen each other for 2 years, but you would not have known it. They picked right up and kept us entertained. Here they pose for another picture.

Yummy ice cream.

They look deep in thought, don't they? I think this was a game of Rook.

Elaine and her sister, Becky, with their girls.

Elaine and me. She is my sister-in-law, but has become a good friend as we share life together.

The female cousins pose for one more shot before saying good-by for another year.

Family Time

2008-07-17T17:54:00.032-05:00

When the Bozone clan was in town, we spent some time together at a park. We had a lot of fun and made more memories as a family. There are 7 siblings and 6 of them were here. We missed having Merlin and his family. Here is the crew.

These are the 6 that were here: Marlin, Joy, Joel, Daryl, Doyle, and Danae.

Here are the grandchildren. (We were missing Joy's two, and Merlin's two.)

It doesn't take much to entertain some folk. Such was the case with the guys at the park. They discovered this tree that they could run up and jump to catch a football in mid-air. We had a lot of laughs with this and got some great pictures. Here is Daryl.

It is Doyle's turn.

"Way to go Daniel!"

And here comes Sam.

The crew enjoying a game of batmitton.

This is Doyle's younger sister, Danae, and her husband, Sam.

Daryl and his girlfriend, Amber.

Andrew and Joseph (two peas in a pod).

Katie and Julianna enjoying their watermelon.

Joy broke her foot before she flew down, so she had to have some help getting around. Katie also broke her clavical before arriving from Alaska. It made me a little nervous--who was going to be next?

Marlin, Elaine, and their family.

We took the kids to the inlet to play in the water. Lydia is having a good time.

Katie and Julianna in the water.

Samuel looking below the surface.

Joseph gets a different view.

Elaine and I got very tickled about something and could not stop laughing. Our husbands captured this moment.

This is Bruce (Joy's son) holding Joseph.

So many people tell me that Lydia reminds them of Danae. We took this shot of them together.

Well, I think I have one more post after this one to be caught up on our Bozone family time.

Fourth Fun

2008-07-09T17:45:00.046-05:00

The fourth of July in the Bozone household started out with a concert for the summer band camps that Doyle is in charge of. A two week camp ended on the 4th. He always has a mini concert to show parents and friends what the students have learned. Julianna and Samuel were in this particular camp. Since their cousin, Daniel, from Alaska plays trumpet, Doyle allowed him to join the event. After the concert we went out to eat with the family that is in town for the holidays. There were 6 out of 7 Bozones in the area for several days, so that is why I haven't spent time on the computer blogging. It has been busy, but fun.

Here are Marlin and Elaine's kids along with ours.

Samuel poses with his trumpet.

Julianna playing the timpani. She plays whatever percussion instrument Doyle assigns her.

Later on in the afternoon, we attended our church community day. This was a first for us, and it was a hit. We invited the community to a free event to celebrate the day with our church family. There were 6 bounce houses, free t-shirts advertising our V.B.S., a petting zoo, pony rides, and lots of food and treats. This included grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, Starbucks lemonade, sno-cones, popcorn, slushies, cotton candy, and bottled water. It was so much fun.

Samuel and Doyle enjoy themselves.

The cute lambs.

Lydia and her friend, Cassidy.

Lydia and Janessa in the jump house.

Joseph and his friend, Collin, with a lamb.

I had to get this picture. They were captivated with the lamb's wiggly tail.

Samuel and several of his friends left the bounce houses to play in the mud. They had a blast using a skim board to sail across the water.

Samuel holding a rabbit.

Julianna eating her sno-cone.

Joseph enjoying his cotton candy.

What do you do when you have the sticky stuff up your nose?

Julianna taking a pony ride--she loves horses of any kind.

Dr. Gordeuk manning the t-shirt table.

Lemonade anyone?

The guys making sure the grill is loaded.

One of the jumping houses.

Julie hands out cotton candy.

Another jumping house for energetic kids.

After the community day, we joined our family for fireworks in West Palm. Doyle and I waiting for the fireworks to start.

Boom!!

The 6 of us--our precious family.

The Bozone cousins.

We had a grand time being together. I have lots of pictures from our time with the Bozone clan. We are making memories together and I will post more next time.

"The Taste of Summer"

2008-06-24T09:05:00.031-05:00

When I think of summer, it seems almost automatic to think of certain foods that go along with the season. There is nothing like a slice of watermelon or a cool refreshing drink on a hot day. Recently our family has had the privilege of enjoying the wonderful taste of summer.

I discovered a produce stand with great prices--thanks to a friend that told me about this place. I could not believe how much cheaper their prices were from anywhere else I shop. For the locals, this market is on Indian Street. I came out with a cartfull of fruits and vegetables and only paid a fraction of the cost I normally would have.

I came home and made a huge salad. I like to make salads that have lots of different kinds of vegetables in them. It is time consuming, but I decided it was worth the time.

Of course, fruit is always a big hit.

Lydia finishes the last of the watermelon.

Molly also enjoys this treat.

What is summer without home-made ice cream? My sister, Esther, gave me her wonderful recipe for this creamy, yummy, stuff. I had not made it in such a long time, so I decided to make some last week. Samuel adds ice to keep things going. The kids really enjoyed the process of making their own ice cream.

It was so good that we decided to share. We called our neighbors and invited them to come over and join us. We had a great time laughing and eating.

Here is a fruit drink that I have most mornings for breakfast. I pour 8 oz. of orange juice into a blender, add a banana, a couple of strawberries and a few ice cubes. It is also good with peaches and other fruits.

Ah, the taste of summer. Isn't it wonderful?!!!

"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY"

2008-06-16T09:53:00.017-05:00

Sunday we were privileged to honor Doyle on Father's Day. We truly feel blessed to have him as the man of our house. He is a loving husband and a wonderful father to our kids. I find it interesting when men don't want kids around. My husband works with kids all day long, comes home and acts like he hasn't seen any children for years--he really is a natural. He loves kids and it shows, which is the reason why we have so much fun as a family. The following pictures are of the kids and him as they gave him their special gifts. We tried to put notes with each of the gifts that explained our appreciation. When we gave him shoes, the note said, "No one can fill your shoes." etc.

Julianna puts a lot of time into her cards. She gave him socks, which he really needed, and coupons.

Samuel's gift was a book and a funny card. Humorous cards have become his new thing.

Lydia saved her merit money at school and bought him a little car. She also made a nice little book of pictures with drawings of her and Doyle.

Joseph worked diligently on his painting. He also gave his daddy some candy which he has enjoyed sharing.

I am forever grateful to God for bringing Doyle into my life. He loves God with his whole heart and loves us more than we could imagine.

SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!

2008-06-09T16:30:00.031-05:00

The kids on the last day of school.

WHEW, IT IS OVER!! The 2007-08 school year is history. I don't think we all could have gone on another week. From recitals to competitions, tests, homework, musicals, band concerts, performances, graduations of all kinds, parties, field trips, and a host of other activities, I am exhausted just thinking about it all. I would say that summer has begun, but if summer means hot weather--it has been here for awhile. We do know that vacation is here, and we are so glad for a change of pace.

As soon as school was over on Friday, our girls joined other friends at a water slide party to kick off the vacation. They really enjoyed themselves. Thanks, Julie, for having a super party to celebrate the end of the school year.

Later in the evening we took the kids to Gander Mountain to look around. Here they are being their silly selves.

Samuel checks out a hovercraft.

Joseph would have to agree that this guy is a little different than the stuffed animals he has at home.

The kids wanted to squish into these kiddie carts. Doyle was in charge of pushing the girls, but he kept wandering off with Samuel looking at stuff. When he left them, they would start beeping their horns. It sounded like a flock of birds.

If he still did not come to their rescue, they pushed themselves to where I was. It was rather hilarious. We also went out for supper, did our monthly grocery shopping, and stopped at a few other stores. It was quite late when we came home. Who cares? We are on vacation.

Saturday was kick-off day for the summer reading program here in Martin County. This year our local branch hosted the Busch Wildlife Refuge Center. They rescue injured or deserted animals. They brought several critters and shared their stories with us. This is a little alligator (I am sure you could have figured that out for yourself).

This is an albino corn snake.

This was not just a oppossum. He was brain damaged. I know your heart is touched.

This is one amazing skunk. It was neat to learn more about this smelly fellow.

One of my favorites--the barn owl.

The last animal was a hawk. The kids really enjoyed seeing all of the critters up close.

We left the library and went to Samuel's Sunday school picnic. The Budensieks did a nice job of planning this event. Here they are playing an action-packed game.

Julianna and Samuel enjoying themselves.

Doyle noticed his cell phone was gone while we were out Friday night. We hoped it was at home. He had it set on vibrate, so when we returned home, he called the number and we began to look. We found it under the couch. He knew he had not put it there and suspected Joseph as the culprit. Sure enough, when we were at the park on Saturday, I saw him come up to the bench where I was sitting and take Doyle's phone and palm pilot out of their cases. I captured him on camera.

He then took the phone up in the tree with him. I as sure we would have thought to look there.

Does this look like a guilty face? We will have to keep an eye on him.

We are so excited about the summer's activities. I have put up their behavior charts to make sure they know what I expect out of them. I am glad to have them home.

Giddyup Gideon!!

2008-06-04T16:01:00.017-05:00

The big musical of the year for the elementary students(1-6) was Tuesday night. This is a production that is worked on all year long. The kids were great!! This great Bible story was told with a cowboy flavor. We truly enjoyed the experience.

Here is Julianna singing with her class.

Samuel listens intently.

Here he is singing his solo.

I think Lydia knew I was taking her picture.

I caught Joseph working on his conducting skills while we were cleaning up.

I decided to serve an authentic cowboy meal before going to the program--soup beans with ham and cornbread.

I was very touched when I heard the kids singing "Torches and Trumpets for the Lord." I used this as an opportunity to remind them that this is what life is all about--being an instrument to be used by God.
If you are interested in seeing the program, it was live-streamed. I am not sure if it is on the archives yet, but probably will be soon.

SPACE CRAZY

2008-05-27T08:34:00.017-05:00

I think it is interesting to learn things about people that you might not know naturally. The thing that most people might not know about me is that I try to keep up on what is happening in space. I certainly do not understand everything, but I find it extremely interesting to learn more about what is happening in the "great beyond." I would venture to say that the average person does not realize how much the study of space benefits us in our daily lives.

One of the great advantages of living in south Florida is that we can actually see the rocket take off into the sky. I receive e-mails from NASA when a launch is upcoming. It is so neat to find out their mission and follow how things are going. When it actually gets to launch day, I log on to live NASA and go behind the scenes to see everyone getting ready for the big event. I find it fascinating to see how much preparation and details goes into this kind of thing. I watch them get their space suits on and strapped into their seats. I don't want anyone messing with the computer when it gets close to countdown. I have been known to turn the live TV on hours before and just listen to them talk as I go about my day. I can check the screen if there is anything I want to see. When it gets close to take-off, I gather the family around and we all watch. After the blast-off, we go outside and hope to see the real thing in the sky. If there is no cloud cover, we can watch it for a few seconds and then it disappears into.....space. It always blows me away when I walk back into the house and resume the news from NASA. They explain that they are 300 miles from earth within 1 minute of launching traveling at a speed of 17,500 miles an hour. I just saw them a few seconds ago. INCREDIBLE!

We also had the privilege of hearing them come back to earth one time. That was some experience. When they broke into the atmosphere, I thought they had landed on my house. I talked to people latter that said they thought there had been a train wreck or something significant.

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I love to read. I have an excellent book about space that will be required reading for my kids, especially by boys. The title is HIGH CALLING. I came across this biography by Evelyn Husband. She is the widow of Rick Husband, commander of Columbia. I remember that sad day when they did not successfully re-enter the earth's atmosphere. When I read this book, I developed a new appreciation for space and for this dear family. Rick was a devout Christian and devoted husband and father. He was good friends with Steve Green who came to watch his launch. It was so neat to gain a better understanding of what a person has to go through to be an astronaut, learn what their family life is like, and most importantly, see how God is carrying them through the tragedy of losing someone they dearly loved.

By the way, Discovery is scheduled to launch this Saturday, May 31st, at 5:02 p.m This mission is to deliver the Kibo science lab modem to the International Space Station. If my memory serves me correctly, it has taken 3 missions to get all of the equipment that they need to complete this project. Oh, and did you know that Phoenix has successfully landed on Mars? This robot has touched down on the surface to study water and the possible conditions of life. It traveled at 12,000 mph. It was a 10 month journey and over 400 million miles of travel. (And here I thought it took a long time to get to Kentucky from Florida)
I guess it is so neat to think that God is beyond our comprehension, yet he chooses to know us in a personal way. It truly is awesome. We can enjoy learning more yet we only scratch the surface of what is really out there. Did you ever wonder what heaven will be like? Absolutely more that we could ever imagine!!

This is what it looks like from our front porch.

Up, up, and away!

"Ouch, My feet hurt!!"

2008-05-21T09:41:00.026-05:00

I know we just came through Mother's Day and we have all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings about our positions as moms. I do have one thing that gets on my nerves--MY KIDS STEP ON MY FEET!! Am I the only mom out there that always seems to get her feet stepped on? I have tried to figure out why. I am very much of a fix-it type person. I have looked at the size of my feet. I don't think this is the problem. I am 5'6" tall and my size 8 shoes seem an appropriate foundation for my frame. I can't come up with the reason their feet seem to keep coming in contact with mine.

I know there is probably a mom out there right now that is saying with a tissue in hand. "My kids are gone and oh, how I wish they would come back and step on my feet once again." Well, I am not there yet and I am trying to understand how I could miss this part of motherhood. Please tell me they don't do this when the are wearing a size 12 in men's shoes. Don't misunderstand me--I love my kids dearly, but this hurts!! It wasn't a real issue when the kids were small and they had those cute little soft shoes. That has all changed. I usually wear sandals or flip-flops and when you put a heeley on top of my bare foot, it is not a song of praise that comes out of my mouth.

It seems to be a real problem in church. We are all sitting there as a cute little family and someone needs to go to the bathroom or change places to get closer to the crayon box. There are a few inches between my knees and the pew in front of me. Invariably this a guarantee that my feet will be stepped on. When this happens, there are several things that immediately take place.I want to scream, "You just stepped on my foot!" Since that would not be the brightest idea during the sermon, I silently grab their arm to lift up on the kid to ease the pressure that is building a bruise on my poor foot. Guess what happens next..the kid thinks I have hurt them by grabbing their arm..now they start crying. I try to keep them quiet so everyone around me doesn't think I have hurt my kid. What I am tempted to do is raise my foot up in the air and show the crowd that I am the one hurt--see the boo-boo on the top of my foot. I know this would not be a good idea, so I suffer in silence and try to worship.

One thing that complicates this problem is that I naturally have flat feet. I really have to shop to find shoes that fit me. Most of the sandals I try on look hilarious--my foot slides right on through. Since I refuse to wear shoes that have my toes hanging 2 inches off the toe with 2 inches of free space in the back, I pick my sandals carefully. I told my kids a few days ago that if they keep stepping on my feet, I would not be able to wear shoes. I thought I saw a gleam in my husband's eyes as he looked at my full shoerack. I went on to tell them that if I could not wear shoes, they could just buy me a pair of envelopes to waddle around in like a duck. For some reason, they laughed.

Well, I still refuse to wear steel-toed combat boots to church, so I will have to deal with my problem. It has helped me just sharing with you, my blogger friends. It was good to let you know what was on my heart--I mean my feet. Take care and watch out for those kids in roller blades.

Mother's Day Celebration

2008-05-20T09:09:00.019-05:00

I know that Mother's Day was several days ago, but we had some computer problems that prevented me from posting pictures. I will not bore you with those details, but everything is fixed and I am back in business. I had a very nice weekend celebrating with the man and kids that made me a mother. I feel so blessed to have the title of mother. I can not imagine life without kids. It is such a wonderful privilege to be given children from God to bring up for His glory.

I want to pay tribute to my mom. She is such an inspiration. She made motherhood look like the grandest thing under the sun. She is full of wisdom and laughter. She is young at heart and loves to try new things. She is a blast to be with. I can remember many problems being solved on the porch swing with a glass of tea in hand. (Mom and I don't go anywhere without our tea.) Mom always had time for me. Even though we are thousands of miles apart, I talk to her every day on the phone. She is a Godly example to me and I love her very much!!

I also want to pay tribute to the mother-in-law I never met. Doyle's mom died the year before we met. Everything I know about her has had to come through those who knew her in a personal way. She was a lady that always thought of others. Her children rise up and call her blessed. I owe a lot to this woman who raised my husband to have some of the same character traits that she had. I was reminded recently of how her influence lives on. A few years ago, Doyle's brother bought a set of timpani for the school in memory of his mother. They had the same plaques put on the timpani that is on her gravestone--a cross with the the word "Others" written on it. I looked up during a concert and saw my Julianna playing the instrument that her uncle Joel had paid for, with the plaque in memory of her grandmother, playing in a band directed by her dad. I was near tears.

I also want to share a special story about this lady. After Doyle and I were married, his sister gave me a beautiful pink nightgown as a gift from his mother. I was so shocked. She had bought it before she died to be given to her son's wife. I cherish this special gift from the woman I never met. Doyle tells me that his mom would have loved me and that makes me feel very good. I look forward to catching up in heaven.

Fun with Family

2008-05-12T20:34:00.036-05:00

A few weeks ago we were privileged to have some very special people come to our home for a visit. My aunt Erma, uncle Marvin, and my cousin's daughter, Brittany came from Kentucky to make some Florida memories. Although the visit went by very fast, we had such a nice time together. We were able to take them to some of the attractions here close-by.

Here are 3 of the kids conked out on the loveseat. Joseph was still going strong.
We allowed our kids to stay up and wait for them to come since I knew they were too excited to sleep, or so I thought. Joseph saw an airplane go over and said that Erma wasn't in there. I asked how he knew that. He had an answer--he said that the plane went past. I guess he expected it to come to a screeching halt in my front yard.

One of the first places we took them to was, of course, the beach. Here the kids wait for another wave. They were all wet and sandy from head to toe but they had a blast.

Erma, Brittany, and I.

Erma enjoying the beauty of the ocean breeze.

Brittany is collecting a few shells and ready to get warm.

They also were able to take a tour of the Jupiter Lighthouse. Here Marvin begins the long climb to the top.

They made it!!

We all went to Lion Country Safari on Saturday. Here is one of God's neat creatures.

A nosy zebra. It is so neat to be so close to the animals as you drive through the park.

I love this picture of Lydia and the ostrich that kept pecking at our window.

Here they are in front of the waterfall.

The petting zoo.

Oh no, Samuel has been eaten by a lion!

Julianna pets the giraffe.

Brittany gets close to the gentle giant.

Brittany feeds a Lorie bird.

Marvin, Erma, and I take a rest.

We all went on paddle boat rides. Here are the boys with Doyle.

Brittany in front of a purple bougainvillea.

Samuel gets a new hairstyle.

The girls saying "good-by" before going to school.

Brittany took Joseph on a little picnic before she left. It was so thoughtful of her to think of that. I know he enjoyed his time with her.

Thanks to Tim and Patty for letting Brittany take that long first plane ride with her grandparents to make some special memories with us. We loved having all of them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDIA!!!

2008-05-06T15:48:00.022-05:00

Lydia turned 7 on the 28th of April. I am just getting around to posting her party. The day after her birthday, we welcomed family down for a week-long visit. We have had so much fun together. I will be telling you about that in my next post. This is how we helped Lydia celebrate her birthday "Little Pony" style.

Lydia with her cake.

Close-up of cake.

All ready for the guests to arrive.

The kids playing a Little Pony Memory game.

A friend enjoying Lydia's collection of ponies.

The Birthday clan.

Time for lunch.

Let's open the presents. She got so many nice things from her friends.

Craft time--busy little bees.

We had the party the Saturday before her actual birthday. We took cupcakes into her classroom on her real birthday.

We also had a family time on her birthday evening. Here Julianna proudly gives her a couple of gifts that she made herself.

We finished the day by reading "Happy Birthday to You" by Dr. Seuss.

We called it a day, went to bed, and prepared for company to arrive.

"Spring Cleaning the Girls' Room"

2008-04-26T19:19:00.028-05:00

We made the decision to stay in Florida for Spring Break. This was due to the fact that Doyle still had his private lessons and public school bands to teach. We also looked at the price of gas, food, and lodging to go to IHC, and decided to skip it this year. We enjoyed the convention through the internet. It was not all a bad deal. I watched the choirs sing and Pres. Stetler preach while the kids combed my hair. I ate a grilled hamburger while Duane gave the closing challenge.(He said he was glad someone was fed during his sermon). I also spring cleaned the girls' room while listening to Dr. Kaufman. I am having a hard time convincing Doyle that we should ever go back to Ohio. I explained that it was not the same because I couldn't talk to my friends. He said, "Call them up after the service is over." I have decided that honesty is important and some of us have to admit that the real reason we go to IHC is not for the preaching and singing-we can do that now without ever leaving home. It is, in my case, to see my friends, give them a hug, and solve the world's problems together. I am struggling on how to convince my husband that a few hugs are going to cost him a few hundred dollars. We did discuss the fact that we want our kids to experience the big picture. I grew up going to IHC, but Doyle grew up here in Hobe Sound where I believe it is safe to say, is like a mini convention all year long. We will return to Ohio, but not every year. I do like the internet idea. I think I enjoyed more services than when I am actually there. Why am I telling you all of this?? Oh yeah, The spring cleaning--I guess I am trying to say that I was sad not to see my friends, but was able to deal with my grief very well by spending a relaxing week with my family. We were able to do some fun stuff with the kids, and I was able to get some projects done that had been on my list for awhile. Here is one of the fruits of my labor.

Here is the entry to the girls' room. When we redecorated a few years ago, they decided that they wanted bublegum pink walls. Doyle was a little hesitant while he was spreading on the paint, but the girls love it.

Here is the border. The theme is butterfly-ladybug. I took three of the colors out of the border and comforters to paint the accessories.

I have so much fun picking up treasures at yard sales and painting them to match the room. This was the case with the simple desk. I think that paint can make almost anything pretty.

This is Juliannna's dresser. She also has become a horse lover, so she took her leftover material from the Easter dresses and covered a bulletin board. She displays her horse stuff there.

The white dress is the dress that both girls were dedicated in. The pink one Julianna came home from the hospital in.

I even paint the ceiling fan blades.

This little dresser is for puzzles, crafts, and the girls personal things.

I really like the lace curtains. They wash up so nice and calm the bright room down.

This is Lydia's dresser. It was one of those deals where I think I paid $5.00 for the piece.

Here is a tea set slong with Lydia's little shoes hanging over the candle.

It was good to clean up, throw away, give away, and reorganize. That is a glimpse into the room of my little ladies.

"Hibiscus Hugs to Lifeless Lizards"

2008-04-14T21:09:00.016-05:00

Joseph is a sweet kid that brings me flowers on a daily basis. Since we have about 20 hibiscus bushes, he makes sure to bring me a few blooms to put in vases. It is an unwritten rule that we have to give hugs and kisses when fowers are brought in for mommy. I love to see him running toward me with a hand full of flowers and his arms outstreched. Here he is with his gift--nice little boy.

About 20 minutes after the gift of flowers were given, Joseph arrived back inside the house with another gift. He had his hand behind his back and said,"Mommy, I have a surprise for you."

He then showed me his surprise--a dead lizard. This critter hadn't seen the light of day for awhile. I know this because his eyes had rotted out. I was definitely surprised.

Do you want a closer look?

I told him to take the lizard back outside. Of course, Joseph remembered where he put the lizard because he took daddy outside to see him when he came home for lunch. Doyle asked Joseph if Mommy liked the lizard and he said "Yes." What did I say to make him think that? Joseph was not done showing off his amphibian. When the kids came home from school, he went outside and brought the stiff critter back in to be viewed once again. He then proceeded to show Lydia that the head could be twisted off. That was all I could stand. I held out a trash can and told him to put the head in the trash. He did and ran through the house with the remaining parts of the lizard. I went after him and asked him where he had put the headless lizard. He was glad to show me. He opened up the container where we keep our dog food and pointed. There he was sitting on the dog food. I know at this point I should have ended this episode, but the kid in me said, "Leave it there-Julianna will be home from sewing class in a few minutes and she will feed the dog." I did not want her to miss out on the family fun. Sure enough, she came home and opened the dog food lid. I heard her say, "Oh my word, there is a lizard in the dog food." She is not afraid of them, but was not used to seeing headless ones in the dog food. Oh well, that was enough excitement for one day. By the way, I only give hugs for the flowers--they definitely look better in a vase.

"My Family Helps Me Celebrate My Birthday"

2008-04-07T15:15:00.020-05:00

Saturday was my birthday. Oh, I will go ahead and tell you. I turned 41 and to be honest about it, I don't have any reason not to tell you that. My grandma lived to be 93. She gladly told her age and felt like "if God had let me celebrate another birthday, I shouldn't be ashamed of it." My family made my birthday very special. Here they are waiting for me to open the gifts from them.

When asked what kind of cake I wanted, I decided on a dessert rather than a decorated cake. This cake had caramel and chocolate chips in the middle. Served with my favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream, it was quite yummy.

Doyle got me a large Yankee candle. I have been smelling this one every time I went into a store that sold them. It is Vanilla Lime. It smells soooo good.

Julianna was so excited about my birthday because she has been taking sewing classes and she had made my gift. She made me a tote bag in earth tones and a cute pink and green pillow. She hand made my card with old buttons and did a chalk picture on black paper. It was so neat to receive such thoughtful gifts.

Samuel got me a family plaque with picture frames. I had wanted one of these, so I was very glad to get it.

Lydia got me a puzzle like the ones at Craker Barrel. We have all enjoyed this gift.

Joseph's gift was some delicious mints. He was very eager to share with me after I opened them up.

It was indeed a great day. I feel so blessed!!

"An Amazing Hero"

2008-04-02T20:16:00.008-05:00

"I don't have eyes; I can't walk. Big Deal--I have the gift of music." These words are from a young man named Patrick Henry Hughes. The more I learn about this guy, the more I realize I need to learn. Doyle received a music magazine with his picture on the front cover. When you see a guy playing a trumpet from a wheelchair in the marching band, you know there is more to the story. First of all, the word "marching" implies movement of feet. In Patrick's case, his dad does the movement. Before I get ahead of myself, let me explain that Patrick was born without eyes and he cannot use his feet. His arms do not extend fully. When you look at his baby pictures, you can imagine the pain his parents experienced realizing he would definetely be handicapped forever. Well, it depends on how you define handicapped. Yes, his dad said that he knew that he and his son would never play baseball together, but they noticed early that he had the gift of music--they would play music together. Before he was 2, he was taking requests from family members; he then would play them on the piano. It didn't stop there. He learned to play the trumpet. When he went to college at the University of Louisville, the band director wanted him to join the band. He did and he is having the time of his life using his gifts. His dad is a remarkable man who attends all of his practices and pushes his wheelchair through all of the maneuvers. He also works the night shift at U.P.S. so he can go to class with Patrick.

I watched an interview where his dad said, "I couldn't be happier." When I started reading all of this info. about his life, I called my brother to see what he knew. My brother lives in Louisville and my niece attended U. of L. He said that he was a local hero. Well, he certainly has become a hero in my eyes. When you go to his website at www.patrickhenryhughes.com, be sure to listen to the song by Bloodkin. It is entitled, "Why Us," and focuses on the fact that God has blessed the Hughes home with Patrick's life. Instead of asking "Why Us"? in a negative aspect, It asks,"Why Us--why would You choose to bless us with a son like this?" Patrick dwells on his abilities, not his disabilities. I was so inspired by this story, and thought that my readers would too.

AN INSPIRING WEEKEND!!

2008-04-01T09:45:00.025-05:00

Wow, we really had a full, but profitable weekend. It started out with field day for the academy on Friday. This is a day when the students compete in various sports. It is a fun time to be with your kids and cheer them on. We went home hot, sweaty, and sun-burned.

Here is where I found Samuel after the competition. I think the shade felt good.

Julianna takes a rest between activities.

Lydia gets serious about the relay race.

We rested awhile and then got cleaned up to go hear a symphony. This was the first time we had taken the kids to the Lyric Theater in Stuart. The tickets are usually $40, but since Doyle had let the Atlantic Classical Orchestra use the school's instruments for a promotional picture--they wanted to thank him by giving us tickets. I was a little nervous about keeping four kids quiet during a performance, but they were great. The orchestra was joined by The Treasure Coast Youth Symphony for the last number. We know several of the kids in this group and wanted to support them. Everyone did a great job, but we were blown away by a young lady named Caroline Goulding. She was a guest concert violinist from Ohio. She played a lengthy violin concerto totally memorized. I had never heard an adult play as proficient as she did, so I was even more amazed when I found out she was 15. It was incredible. You can check out her website.
Saturday was the women's retreat here at Hobe Sound Bible Church. Sarah (Wolf)Fry was the guest speaker. She did a wonderful job talking to us about Living for Jesus in the real world. It was very encouraging and inspiring. I have been able to share some of the truths that she presented to us. It is so neat to see how God is using her to help others. I remember her because I watched her grow up while I was at G.B.S. I feel kinda old.
Well, I got home from the retreat in time to get everyone ready to go to another concert at our church. I must digress here to say that Doyle was very glad to see me when I came home. I opened the van door and was licked on the leg----by our dog. I thought you would like that one. The dog was out of the back yard because they were giving her a bath. Doyle had also mowed the yard, and got some other things done. Three of the kids were playing in the water and one was in the bathtub. He said, "Oh Sherilyn, I am so glad to see you. It has been one thing after another all day long. Daddy do this, Daddy I need you. How do you do it?" I just smiled and looked at the dripping kids on the back porch waiting to come in. Take that back, I didn't just smile, I said to him. "That is why we go on these retreats. Even if we never learned anything, We know that our husbands appreciate us more when we come back." Doyle is extremely good with the kids and he tells me often how much he appreciates and loves me. I feel very blessed to have him as my husband. He gladly told me that I was now on duty and he went outside to finish the yard. It could be my imagination, but I think he took his time out there.
So, after we got the kids cleaned up again, we took them to hear the Florida Salvation Army Band at our church. This was the last concert of our concert series here at H.S.B.C. It was an all brass/percussion band and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was extremely interesting to learn the history of the Salvation Army and to hear stories of how God is using them. They played some really neat pieces, and we left feeling inspired again.

Dr. Peak gives one last "Thank You" to the Salvation Army Band.

Whew!! I feel tired just telling you all this. It is no wonder I was exhausted on Monday. I will save one more story about an inspirational kid for my next post.