Olympics

How many of you have been watching the Olympics? We've been watching them every chance we get at our house. Hubby and I watched the opening ceremony at Chanel's house. What a show! It was beautiful and so wonderful. I've been watching alot of the beach volleyball, both men's and women's. The US men's #1 team was great this morning! We've also been watching the swimming events. How great all of the athletes have been doing :) We really started watching the Olympics when I was in the hospital after having Chanel. She was born July 30th, 1984. They were just getting started while we were there. When Bret came along, he wasn't born in an Olympic year (January 22, 1987). Tanner came along on August 19, 1988 and the Olympics were just ending while we were there. So during two hospital stays, the Olympics have kept me entertained... along with some beautiful babies :) It's kind of become a tradition for our family to watch them.

The 2 peas challenge for today is: Share on your blog someone you look at for inspiration. And why you find them inspiring....
*Alot of my friends are inspiration for me without even knowing it. I can be a very indecisive person at times and some of my friends have no qualms about decision making. They consider the options and then it's a done deal. I have to think about it a few times, even the simplest of things lol. I might even change my mind even then :)
*The athletes that train for the Olympics are also an inspiration. The time and sweat that they put into training to be the very best that they can be has to be an inspiration to us all. When I really need to get out and walk off the pounds and then don't because of this reason or that one... look at what all they do each and every day. Wow!

New Zealand update:
Bret and Stacy, along with a couple of friends, drove to Mt. Hutt to go sledding this past weekend. The mountain is lovely with all of the snow. And thanks to Stacy, I swiped another picture from her to put on here. Thanks Stacy!

Random musings

4th of July parade
Jonah turned 2 in May and he's growing and maturing by leaps and bounds. One of his favorite people, besides mom and dad, is Papaw. You can tell he thinks the world of him and I think the feeling is quite mutual. He's talking alot more now which is really fun :) Learning two languages slowed has him down a little bit, but just for a short time. He's catching up quickly :) He's such a sweet little boy and we wouldn't trade him for anything. He reminds you that there are good things in this world and it makes everything worthwhile.

News from down under
I've swiped a couple of pics again courtesy of Stacy. Thanks Stacy! She and Bret went to Port Hills near Christchurch. They rode the gondola up and then hiked around quite abit. The area is beautiful from what they said. Bret still hasn't sighted a kiwi yet. The animal... not the fruit :) They did encounter some sheep while hiking that day.




There is so much to see and explore down there. I hope they get the chance to experience as much of it as they can.

I haven't gotten lost :)

It's been awhile since I've posted anything and I really am still alive :) Our ds and his gf arrived safely in Christchurch, NZ but without their luggage. The flight from O'Hare was delayed 2 hours and so they barely made it to their connecting flight in LA. From there it was onto a 12 hour flight to Auckland, NZ and then another couple hours to their final destination of Christchurch. It was 5 days before Bret got his luggage and Stacy received hers a day or so before that. I'm glad that he's a boy scout and used to roughing it lol. They spent the first week or so exploring their new home for the next semester and then checked into their classes. According to Bret, mullets are on the comeback. Ugh! He said alot of people wear their clothes really tight there, tighter than he would be comfortable with. Bret enjoys being "comfy in a 21 year old kinda way" :)
They made it!
Gorgeous
Thanks to Stacy for the pics that I hijacked from her facebook page :)

While I've bee neglecting my blog, I have been traipsing through some cemeteries snapping pictures of headstones for people. I take headstone pics for people that are working on their family history and want copies for their records. One of the sites that I'm registered on is findagrave.com and the other is RAOGK (Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness). Findagrave is mainly requests for headstone pictures, while at RAOGK you search for someone that volunteers in the county in which you're researching. Click on the "making a request" and when it takes you to that page, you'll need to scroll all the way to the bottom to locate a volunteer. Each volunteer has specific things that they will research for you and many ask reimbursement for costs, such as copies and postage.

I tell ya, finding dead people can be very addicting! Actually, believe it or not... I find it to be very relaxing. Sometimes I find myself calling out to a stone that I'm looking for.
"Oh Mr. Sinclair... where are you hiding at?"
And the good thing is that he doesn't talk back to me. If he did, I'd run as fast as my chubby legs will carry me lol.
Until tomorrow :)