A Family Weekend at the Reniassance Festival

Well, I guess you might be wondering what the heck this picture is and why I have this strange picture on my blog. It is simple, Friday is Halloween, so the picture is of the Pumpkin King from the Ohio Renaissance Festival. Yes, we went to the Renaissance Festival again this year. It is such fun. Whether you are "into" that kind of stuff or not, you can find something to sit back and enjoy. The shops are great, the shows are funny and the costumes are worth seeing. Last year Mark and I were the only ones able to go, but this year Alex was able to go with us and we spend two days.
The first day was cold, cloudy and misting rain from time to time,the high was 48 degrees, but the turkey legs were still good! We got there about 11:00 and after scoping out the place we headed for the Pirate show. It is a stunt, comedy show. The man with the megaphone is suppose to be William Shakespeare and he is trying to get the pirates to perform his newest play Midsummer's Night Dream. It was full of laughs and stunts, which started our day with a big smile.

Next we divided up for awhile, Mark and I went looking for the shop I got some earrings from last year. I wanted a necklace to match it. On the way we found a skirt for me and a beer for Mark and finally found the shop where I had purchased the earrings. They had a necklace to match and hopefully next year, I can get a bracelet to match too. Next, Mark and I watch a wonderful show of the Scottish Band, mostly drums, but they also had a bag pipe. It was uplifting to watch them men and women play the music with enthusiasm and a true love for the it.

We then caught up with Alex for the afternoon Joust. Yes, a real Joust. It is really interesting to learn how the Joust works. The point system and that they actually had other events that were focused on skills, not just trying to knock someone off the horse. The crowd is divided into two sections and we are given the Knight that we are to cheer for in the event. Our Knight, this year, was Sir Theodore of Lexington. Unfortunately, he did not win, but it was still fun to watch.

After the Joust, we wondered around just looking and watching other events. We left about 5:00 and went in search of a hotel to stay in that night. We were cold to the bone, but still had a great time.

The next day, we arrived about 11:00 and headed straight for The Swordmen's show with Dirk and Guido. Mark and I watched their show last year, but this one was different from last year. Still funny and very engaging.

Next we went to get something to drink, I discovered I like hot Mead(I think that is the way you spell it), and then on to the Theater in the Ground. In other words, the Mud show. Alex wanted to go the productions of Dante's Inferno. Mark and I sat on the 3rd row and Alex joined us just in time for the testing of the MUD in the mud pit. This is done by the "actors" in the mud play picking up a handful of mud and throwing it into the mud pit and see how far the splatter goes... how many rows back do people get hit. Well, Alex had just gotten up to us on the 3rd row when they tested the splatter of the mud pit. Mark got hit a little. I had put my jacket up in front of me as a shield and still got hit as it flew over my head and landed on the back side of my hair, but Alex..... well he.... really got hit. He had mud splatted all over him, from his head to his feet, he had mud splatters. He was not happy...

If you can not see the fun in the pictures, well.... there is nothing else to say. It does not matter who you are you have to admit the above pictures are funny. Check it out for next year if you missed it this year at http://www.renfestival.com/.
A great time of family fun.

Mark's Birthday

Well another year has come and gone for my husband. It also has come and gone for us, in that one less year we get to be together on this earth. But I have to celebrate the day of birth of my wonderful husband. He is so much fun to be married to and be around. Mark is normally a quite man, but when you spend some time with him you soon find out that he is funny, smart and kind. He rarely will start a conversation, but once he starts talking he is most engaging and you find at the end of it, that you have had an intelligent conversation with a man whom you are glad you took the time to talk with.

We invited a few people over for some chili and Beatles Rock Band. Not everyone that we invited could come, but a few were able to come. We had home made beef chili and some chicken chili with cornbread or crackers or tortilla chips or even noodles. And you could top it with cheese, onions, jalapenos or sour cream and of course hot sauce or red peppers if you wanted it hotter. For dessert Shellie brought a cheese cake and I made cookies with ice cream and hot apple cider. After we all had as much as we wanted to eat, we played Beatles Rock Band. That was fun and interesting too. Bailey, my grand-daughter sang a song with me on, while Nick (her father, my son) was on drums and Alex (my youngest son) was on guitar. After that, Nick sang, Shellie on the drums(first time) and Tony on the guitar (oh by the way he is color blind, which makes it even more of a challenge), but they did great! Grant, Tony and Shellie's son is a natural on the drums! He grabbed the sticks clicked them 3 times in the air, then started drumming, just so you know, he is only 2 1/2.

The house was full of talk and laughter last night, not only of children, but adults too. The laughter, conversation and warmth of friends and family can not be beat nor bought anywhere. To have friends like the Shouses and our oldest son and his family to come over and share their time to help celebrate Mark's birthday.... WOW! Our home was so full last night and we are grateful for the fullness.

Nick singing, Shellie on drums, Tony on guitar

Nicole watching. Loving brothers!
Nick, Alex, Nicole and Bailey Grace

I pray for you that read this, that your house will be filled with friends and family, laughter and warmth, not only at the holidays, but at times, just because.

Bubbles and more bubbles

What a night we had. A couple of months ago, our grand-daughter spent the night with us. Bailey figured out how to play fetch with one of our dogs Tessa. It was so cute watching her try to throw the toy. She would try as hard as she could and it would only go a foot or so. Tessa would go get it and as she brought it back to Bailey and me, Bailey would start jumping up and down saying, "My turn, my turn!" So she would pick it up from where Tessa dropped it and try to throw again. Sometimes she was laughing so hard she could not throw it. My husband and I thought before that night that Tessa would never run out of steam playing fetch, but that night Bailey out lasted Tessa. In fact Tessa hid her toy, so Bailey and I turned to another activity, bubbles.

As you can see in the picture, I ran a sink full of warm water and bubbles. Bailey could not get enough of blowing them and making towers of them and putting them on my nose and hair. Her smile was so worth all the mess and water.

We try so much of our lives to find things that make us happy, when so often if we would just look at the little things and enjoy them.

How many times in our lives do we get upset or bent out of shape at something that, even a few days from now, will not matter?

Take time to blow the bubbles!

Growing up

In our youth, our childhood, everything is new and exciting. We are bombarded with all new sights, and experiences. Our parents expose us to things that are normal to them, but we are seeing as new and starting to understand what they are and how they can effect us. We also learn how we can effect or even control our surroundings. Some of us learn that by screaming we get what we want, others of us learn that it does not work(in my opinion these children have the better parents), and still some learn how to manipulate very early by using other behaviors. Anyway, as we grow older, in this day and age, parents try to expose their children to everything they have the time and money to expose them to. Is this good? Ponder this.... as a child grows and is exposed to everything around them so early, they become bored. They are so use to excitement and going and doing that nothing is exciting anymore. Some of them turn dangerous actions just to get the rid of the feeling of being bored. Even in the schools, nothing is held back for the children to look forward to. The have kindergarten graduations, elementary school graduations, middle school proms(they call them dances, but if you look at the way they dress, it is just like prom). Where I live they even have a "Phrom", which is freshman prom. By the time they actually get to their Jr. and Sr. year of high school, nothing is special left for them. Maybe that is why by the time they are teenagers, what is left for them? They so often turn to activities that give them a thrill. Some of the activities are dangerous to themselves and others. They start drinking earlier, dating earlier and having sex earlier, all to try to fill an emptiness that they have within them. They have experiences so much so early that they feel they must get that thrill in new ways. Even the more balanced of our teenagers turn to things to give them a thrill, horror movies is an example.

As parents and adults that have influence over children, maybe we should NOT give me so much so fast. Slow down and let them completely enjoy one thing at a time. Not overload them at such a young age. Let them explore what they can do at each age level and not try to push them into activities they are not ready for mentally. Do we try to re-live our childhood and the fun we remember through our children? What is wrong with some crayons, blank paper and some quite time for our children? How about some play dough for them to just create and explore on their own. As they grow older increase what they can create with and give them the quiet time to do it.

While our children are having their quiet time, guest what, we can have quiet time too. What we do with that quiet time is up to us. May I suggest some personal time with God. Ask Him to help us be better parents, and better examples to the young people we are with.

Just some thoughts from a lady who likes to watch people and make observations.

The weekend

This past weekend was my grand-daughter's second birthday. Well actually her birthday was on Friday, but the party was on Saturday at my son's and daughter - in- law's home. It was a very nice party, with lots of people and tons of gifts. As I looked at all the pictures that were posted after the party on facebook, I realized how lucky my son and daughter - in -law are to have so many friends that care so much for them that they sat outside on a cool, damp Saturday to eat and celebrate a child's birthday. Granted she is the most wonderful grand-daughter there is, but I am just a little biases.

To be blessed by God with her is a great gift that can not be understood until it happens to you. A grandchild is.... well there are no words for it. Just the thought of this wonderful little girl makes us smile. To hear her call out "gandma" and smile is a feeling that is beyond description.

Then to watch my youngest son, who is now 20, look at his niece with love and wonder is another gift that was unexpected! Uncle Alex, I know will melt that day that she calls him by name. Right now, there is no doubt that if she needed anything, Uncle Alex would do all in his power to take care of it for her, or protect her if she needed it.

As my husband and I contemplate a decision we will have to make in the near future of whether to stay here or move very far away, my heart breaks at the thought of not seeing my family here on a regular basis. Not to hear Bailey's voice "gandma" and see her smile and know that she is happy to see me. Not to see Alex everyday and not to see Nick and Nicole often. But we have to not walk in fear, but walk in faith and believe that God will guide us and take care of all the "WHAT IF's".

I have moved many times in my life and always lost touch with people as I have moved. I have moved from one city to another 11 times in my life. The last move was 20 years ago, and after 20 years I have deep roots here with friends that I trust and love and if I am to leave this place, I know that I will lose some people, but my true friends will hang with me.

A new adventure may be on the horizon,but it may not be. Whatever is out there, I will face knowing God is there for me.

Changes

Well, the one thing in life that can be guaranteed is change. No matter how much we like things to be the same, they will change. Change occurs on a daily bases. For me, that can even be a moment by moment thing... you know moods. But there are some things in life that you just want to stay the same. My kitchen is a perfect example. I have a place for most everything and I expect it to be in that place. When I go to use it, I want it so I can just reach and there it is. But I can almost guarantee that if my youngest son has emptied the dishwasher, it will not be where they belong. Now comes the thought process... "Is is clean or dirty? It is not in the sink or dishwasher, so it must be clean." OK, so I am left with one of two options. I have to try and think like Alex to find it or look everywhere in the kitchen for it. It goes something like this....

OK, I need my spatula that is scoop like. It should be on the counter, next to the stove, in the utensil holder, in the very center slot, but guess what, it is not there. So here I go, I can either look everywhere for it, or I can try to think about where Alex would put it. Now that opens a whole new chapter of thinking. It is not just where would he put it, but what was he doing or thinking or to whom was he talking when he was emptying the dishwasher. Then there is the options: Was he watching TV, or was he doing it in a hurry to get back to a game he was playing or was he mad because he had to stop what he was doing to do this chore.

So as you can see, one task is just as hard as the other:

looking everywhere or...

try to think as Alex does to figure out where it might be.

Anyway, I digress change is constant in anyone life if they are living. A change is taking place in my life right now. I am leaving one job and going to another. I have been with the radio station for almost 2 years. It has not been a bad time, but just not happy, truely happy. I have had many jobs in my life and I can honestly say the only job I have loved is in the movie theatre. So when the opportunity was offered again to be in management, full time in a movie theatre I took it. There are things about the radio station job I will miss. There are certain people I will miss and then there is the flip side - there are people I will not miss. I know that the movie theatre is where I will do my best work. I look forward to the change and see it as another adventure in my life. So if you are reading this and know me, you will be able to find me starting Oct. 30th at the movies!