I’m BAAACCCCCKKKKKKK! Well, I’ve been back a couple of days, but I seem to have fallen right back into the routine here at Teen Challenge. I know I need to catch you up with my California Adventures, but it’s already bedtime tonight - and the most important thing I need to do is wish my youngest child a Very Happy Birthday! Josiah Wood Conrad turns 27 today! If it wasn’t so late, I’d scan in some cute shots of him as a baby and I may just do that tomorrow - but here he is today (well, not today, but the last time I saw him!)
I’m pretty sure he’s got a little more facial hair now - and he tells me he got a tattoo for his birthday. Ah, sweet youth!
Happy Birthday, honey! We love you!
(And I promise to fill everyone in on my California trip soon! Honest!)
Yes, I’m leaving on a jet plane - and Lord willing, I’ll be hugging daughter Lara by the end of the day! I’m pretty darned excited about this trip - it’s been forever (maybe it’s even the first time?) that Lara and I have had just girl time. I’m totally stoked!
Other tidbits - I’ve been introduced to online scrabble games - check out the Scrabulous website if you want to join the fun! I’m playing 4 games right now - it’s pretty addicting! And I’m pretty much losing, but hey, someone has to come in last! The best part is that I’m playing with my sisters and kids, so it’s a little bit like family game night! 
Food Discovery - if you take your Jiffy cornbread mix and spread it on top of anything (but in my case it was cheesy mexican chicken) - it’s a HUGE hit. You’d've (how do you do THAT contraction????) thought I’d invented sugar! (Well, it never hurts that teenage boys that don’t get any snacks are pretty impressed with anything that is served!)
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So if you don’t hear from me for a week or so - it’s because I’m busy playing! But, Lara does have a computer (duh), so you never know - we may have whole new look by the end of the visit!
Off to the airport!
But life here has been pretty routine. I’ve had an electronically challenging weekend - where the computer suddenly couldn’t find the DVD/CD ROM and the camera was suddenly taking completly over-exposed pictures. Grrrrrr. After a couple of exchanges with HP (Hewlett Packard), flashing bios and such, we got the computer problem solved (although I have been getting periodic Blue Screens of Death for no apparent reason - could be signs of trouble ahead). Looks like the camera might have a defective CCD image sensor (whatever that is!) - the good news is that if it is that problem they will fix it FREE (even though it’s over 4 years old). Of course I have to ship it away and they cannot guarantee how soon it will be returned. Being camera-less for a couple of weeks would normally not be a problem (given our routine routine), but since I’m heading to California is just 5 days , I’m pretty bummed about that. It might just be time for a new camera - but since we just bought this new computer, I’m not sure the budget can afford the camera I would like (not that I even know what that is, but I know I have expensive taste!). So in case you’re reading, Lara - looks like I’ll be playing with YOUR camera while I’m out there!
But since the camera is still working sometimes, here are a couple of shots from this past week -
Pizza Night!
We had back-to-back Birthday Pizza nights this past week! Phew, that’s a lot of carbs! And that doesn’t count the birthday cake that followed the pizza each night! I must confess it does make for a easy night in the kitchen though!
Saturday Free Time……
I haven’t been on a horse since my horseback adventure last year - but these guys seem to be having fun! Sometimes Joe (the horse guy) takes them out on trail rides. You never know, I may just get back up one of these days!
We’ve been blessed with some beautiful weather lately, and the rest of the week is expected to be in the mid to high seventies. Ah. Of course it does mean that the tree pollen is at an all time high (aaaaaccchhhhooooo!), but it’s been so lovely, we’ve adapted!
Hope Spring is working it’s way to you too!
So today was a little different than our last jaunt into Dothan! OK, Gary was still the driver - he had several TC related errands to do and offered to be our chauffer so we ladies could all ride together on our official Ladies Day Out. Gary dropped us off at a strip mall that featured a Christian Bookstore, a Hancock fabric store and a Tuesday Morning store. What more could we ask for! He picked us up in time for us to do lunch at Mildred’s Tea House while he went on to Sam’s Club to pick up some birthday cakes for two of the boys. A quick stop at the Salvation Army (really, what is a day out with the girls if we don’t stop at at least ONE thrift shop?), a drive by the World’s Smallest City Block (don’t ask, it’s in the guide book!), and a quick stop at the DQ, and we were on our way home. Just in time to squeeze in a nap before we all gathered together again for a hot dog roast and good ol’ just hangin’ around fellowship. Sigh. A very nice day out. It’s so good to have a day off, and even though Gary was officially doing TC stuff, I think even he enjoyed driving the gang of us around.
The smallest block - and the ladies at Mildred’s
Above are the guys, working hard, back at the ranch!
Tomorrow it’s ham sandwiches and cheesy broccoli soup for lunch and PIZZA for dinner (with one of those birthday cakes for dessert!) Gotta love those birthday boys!
