Okay, okay....the only person who hasn't bothered me to put an entry in my blog is my sister, Ruthie. So, at the prodding and persistence of my mom and my sister, Peggy...here goes. Peggy always gives me topics to write about. Thanks, sis!!

I can't believe how quickly time flies. Maybe I can recap the last 8 months with this entry. Hope so!!

After the State Track Meet in June, 2008 Stef and I headed out to sunny California so that my brother could take Stefanie's senior portraits. We had a BLAST! One of Stef's friends and her mother joined us. We spent a week and took in lots of sights. We went to Universal Studios, Disney and a couple of times at the beach. My favorite time was getting to know my animated niece, Kate. Little Miss Sassy Pants was what I called her. I absolutely love her and could eat her up. I only wished she lived closer.




The highlight in July was a trip to Dallas, TX for Mary Kay's annual seminar convention. We earned a new pink cadillac (I think it's the 9th car I've earned from Mary Kay). This time I decided to take the car vs. the monthly cash option. The new pink cadillac CTS was delivered in October and I love it. It's not as roomy as the Sedan DeVille but it is hot and sporty.



Throughout the summer we went up to our land (4 acres about 80 hours north of us)and did a lot of fishing, boating & 4-wheeling. What great memories created when we do these fun family things!!

August marked the start of school for both Stef and Jake. Stef's senior year and Jake's 8th grade year and end of middle school. I broke my streak of taking a picture of Stef and Jake on the first day of school. Probably because their first days are different. I do however have a picture of them at Christmas time. Jake now towers over Stef and me! He's eye level to Scott (6'2") and they like to wrestle a lot. Scott works VERY hard to take Jake down. It's a scream watching them wrestle....



The fall marked football for Jake (with Scott coaching) and golf for Stefanie (a first for her). Jake's team had an awesome season and I have a permanent smile on my face when I watch him play. He loves the game and he hates to lose. Here's a picture of a coachable moment between Jake and Scott. Stefanie worked her way from the last golfer on the team up to the 5th golfer and was an alternate when the team of four went to Sectionals. Golf was a challenge for her and she rose to the challenge.



In November we turned a page in the chapter of history and elected Borack Obama as president. On election day it was Stefanie's 18th birthday....I bet she'll remember that one for a long time. We celebrated her birthday by doing all the things you can do when you're eighteen: buy cigarettes, buy lottery tickets, vote, visit the adult section of a video store (yuck), get a tattoo (she didn't really get one, just visited the parlor). I documented it with photos.....







December brought Christmas and holiday celebrations. How I enjoy being with family and friends. Peg and Mom celebrated Thanksgiving with us.....it was a fun day and definitely good food and even greater pies (thanks, Mom!). Christmas Day we spent at Scott's mom's place...then we went to Mom's the day after Christmas and played some crazy cards and laughed until we almost wet our pants. Literally!!

And, now it's January, 2009!! Another New Year and another year to look forward to memories and moments. We'll have Stef's graduation in May and Jake's confirmation in May, too. Stef will go off to Paul Mitchell Academy in Waukesha to get her cosmetology license. She one day wants to own her own salon. I know for certain that she's going to be really good in this profession. She's gotten a lot of flack for not going to a 4 year college and yet this is what she wants to do. How can we argue with that?

Stef still dates Tom...has for over a year now. It's been different because he is off at college over 6 hours away. She savors the times he does come home and we don't see much of her when he's home. They enjoy each other's company and spend countless hours on the phone.



Jake's focus is football, basketball, fishing and hanging out with his buddies. He shot his first deer last fall (right on the edge of Aunt Peggy's land)...he's got a couple of hummer fish being mounted now. Today Scott's going to the meat processor to pick up his venison. We love the summer sausage and the ground venison is very lean and goes well in casseroles, spaghetti and tacos.... Here's a photo of Jake, Scott and the doe he shot.



Okay...I've rambled long enough. Hopefully that will satisfy those of you who have been bugging me to blog. Now it's your turn.

The Best Gift Ever

The other day I had my birthday and received the best gift I ever could have received. In addition to the great new cell phone/MP3 player from my husband along with a beautiful card from him, my daughter gave me a card (purchased with her own money, I might add....that's HUGE!). When she handed me the card she said, "Mom, I stood in the card aisle and read lots of cards until I found exactly the right one." Here's what it said:

Front: Mom, You've Given Me so Much

Inside: Mom, I look around and see
so many unhappy people
who don't seem to believe in themselves
or feel worthy of what they want......or have.
And I can't help but wonder--
if they'd had a mom like you,
how different their lives might be....
how much more confidence they might have,
how many more of their hopes
could have become realities.

Your love, time, and support
were priceless gifts.
Every day they are with me
in the joys I feel,
the challenges I face,
and the dreams I follow.
And every day I think of you
with appreciation and so much love.

Happy Birthday!

You can bet that I'll save that card for a long time!! Thanks, Sis for making my day.

And, this last week was busy with 3 track meets (2 for Stef and 1 for Jake) and then May Banquet (prom). Below are some pictures that captured the moments:



Jake showing his shot put form. He took second at the meet with 9 schools in attendance. He's a mighty big boy...now almost 6 feet tall....and only in 7th grade!! Yikes!! He took 4th in the softball throw, too!



Stefanie at the Lutheran Invitational Track Meet....She took 1st in both hurdles events and her 4 x 1 relay team won also.



Stef and her dad on the front porch before she left for prom. She's growing up fast....careful, don't blink!



Stef and her date..........they had a wonderful evening.

Now, Peggy, if you're reading this:

Blog, blog, get off the log!!

Stefanie Breaks the School 100m hh record

Stefanie is having a great track season and recently broke the school record at her high school in the 100m hh race. She now holds 3 school records: 300m hurdles, 4 x 200 meter relay & 100m high hurdles. We are very proud of her

I Missed October....drats!!

At the politely persistent prodding of my two sisters I am posting....time flies by quickly and this month sure has.

I forgot to mention that I was going to be taking a little get-away trip to Maine to visit my friend (who I met through Mary Kay) and 9 other Mary Kay sales directors....we had a BLAST!! The weather was beautiful and the company even greater. It was a renewing for my soul and was greatly needed. My friend was the travel guide extraordinaire. She had the 5 days packed with LOTS of fun things. We went to Kennebunkport...we took a gondola ride in the White Mountains of NH.....we had a private shopping experience at her favorite little boutique with wine and cheese and all (never mix wine with women and shopping....it can be deadly..lol)...we had a lobster boil and clam bake at her home (yummy!!)....we took a 3 hour cruise (not to be confused with the SS Minnow and Gilligan) off the coast of Maine and saw little islands with their lighthouses.....we drank lots of wine and had lots of women talk. It was wonderful. Here are some pictures:


This is the crew (minus me) sitting on the fence overlooking Kennebunkport, ME. Right near the quaint Episcopalian church where many Bush family members get married.



The crew near a covered bridge in NH....just before taking our ride up in the mountains.



The view from the top was breathtaking!!



Me in front of one of the most famous lighthouses in Maine (don't ask me the name of it....that's just trivial.)

Then...October flew by with football games, homecoming, etc. Jake's season ended 4-2-1....a very successful season. He's already looking forward to next year.

The highschool team ended 10-1. They were conference champs and had a very successful season. Homecoming was fun for Stefanie. She felt honored to be on court...she had fun riding in the parade (she had a friend of hers wear the school mascot's costume) and made the local newspaper. She and her boyfriend parted ways this month, too. So, that was sad and yet we know that the Lord has all the plans in the palm of his hand. Life goes on and Stefanie has learned many valuable lessons that will guide her, perhaps in the next relationship. She's a bright young woman with very high esteem (Christ-esteem) and knows that somewhere out there God is watching over that special someone for her....

That's all for now....hopefully I'll get another post in in November...who knows. Keep prodding me Ruthie and Peggy!!

A September Post....

My sister's been prodding me to get a post in before September is over...so here goes:

The month has flown by rather quickly. I depart tomorrow morning very early for a 5 day weekend to Maine!! I've never been there and am joining 9 other Mary Kay director buddies of mine for a Girl's Weekend...it should be a blast. Our host has great things planned for us so I'll probably need a vacation when I get back...

September has been filled with football, football and more football. Our son, Jake plays on the youth football team for LLHS....He's a big boy ( 5'10" and 225 lbs.) He looks more like a highschool player than a 7th grader. Here's a shot of him--he's #90:



Their team lost their first 2 games and have won the last 2. It's great seeing them come together and work together and have a desire to win. Jake plays both on the offensive and defensive line and when he comes out for a break it is definitely noticeable....definitely. Scott coaches him and last week's game didn't start out very well. I saw Scott pull him off to the sidelines and really (I mean REALLY) get in his face and scream, "Jake, it is simply NOT acceptable how you are blocking. Now are you gonna go in there and do your job or do I have to find someone else that can?" You could hear it in the stands, Scott hollered that loudly. I cringed. I heard some parents in the stands comment....and then I saw Jake rise to the occasion, go back in and play football like he knows how to play football. Now Scott could have coddled him, but he didn't. He's actually probably harder on Jake than any other member of the team. I asked Jake once if he liked Dad as his coach. He said, "Yeah, Mom, I do. He's the only coach I have had so far that can get the most out of all of us." What a life lesson. Scott always worries that someday Jake may hate him for how hard of a coach he is and yet I think Jake will look back and say that he spent a lot of time, side by side with his Dad on a football field learning many life lessons.....

The other football games we've been watching are the LLHS Warriors (where our daughter goes to highschool). Her boyfriend is a starting offensive lineman and does quite well. He's 6'4" and 205 lbs....quite a difference from her petite frame. Both of them were just selected as the junior reps for homecoming court. It's an honor. They'll get to ride in the homecoming parade (except her boyfriend won't because he's on the football team and the parade is at 5 pm and the game at 7 pm). Maybe, just maybe, when the couples are presented at halftime he'll be able to escort Stef on the field in his uniform. I doubt it....our coaches are pretty intense and I think they feel that homecoming festivities take away the team's ability to focus. Maybe they're right....I'm not sure....So Stef said that she's going to have a life-size blowup doll ride with her in the convertible and then put Phil's jersey on it....it's a good idea anyway. So, here's a picture of the "homecoming couple" (from our last trip up to the cabin):



And here's a picture of Phil on the line: (He's #51...a left offensive tackle. The picture quality is quite poor....sorry for that. Phil's got on the long sleeve white underarmor...maybe that'll help)



Their team is 5-0 so far and ranked in the state.....it's a huge thing and the pressure builds each week....hhhmmmm....maybe a state-bound football team...Time will tell.

I just wanted to put this pic in. I always take a picture of the first day of school with the kids on the front steps. Here is this year's.....Jake used to be much littler than Stef....not anymore:



Oh, and one more football activity worth mentioning. Stef took Phil to a Packer game. His first regular season game at Lambeau Field. It was an exciting game because the rookie kicker kicked a field goal to win the game with like 2 seconds left. A great game to go to. Scott and Jake joined them. Here are a couple of photos:








There you have it....September in a nutshell. Or should I say in a football helmet?

Stef, Jake & Joe

Here's the last picture we have of Joe. This was taken this past Christmas. Rest in peace, Joe....we loved you dearly.

2 Month 5 Day Recap!!

Many apologies that I haven't made any entries lately.....it's been a whirlwind summer and I'm not as committed to this as my brother and sisters. Sorry, sorry, sorry......

My sister, Peggy gave me some ideas for posts and I'll just cover them all here:

• Stefanie is gainfully employed!!......Stef got a part-time job at Applebee's this summer and her tasks include busing and hosting. She likes the people interaction but it didn't take her long to figure out that many people in the work force are quite lazy and will do only enough to get by. She came home and said, "Mom, now I know why you do what you do!" She also recruited two of the servers to become Mary Kay consultants!! Guess she sold my job quite easily.
• Cabin.....We haven't been back up to our land since the beginning of the summer but we are making plans to go over Labor Day weekend. Scott....the man who can find a diamond in a goat's a**.....found a nice pair of waterskis for only $5....We'll definitely be taking them with us as Stef has taken a liking to the skis and Jake finally tried tubing and doesn't find it to be as scary as he first thought it to be.
• My friend was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident......One of my dear, dear Mary Kay friends LOVES to ride her custom-painted pink Harley with her husband. They go on several big group rides every summer. In mid-July they were on their way home and a 29 year old woman driving her vehicle crossed over the center line and struck 5 of the 22 Harleys in the group. My friend happened to be one of them and she suffered the most injuries. It really is a miracle that she is alive. The car hit her cycle head on, Jodi's head hit the windshield and literally scalped her from above her eyebrow to the back of her head, she broke her C2 vertebrae and is in a traction halo, she broke her right arm and did severe damage to her pelvic area....they put her back together with pins and screws. She flew 15 feet in the air and came down on the top of her head. She never lost consciousness and suffered no brain injury. When I stood over her bed I really felt I should be standing over her casket, but God, in His infinite wisdom decided it was not yet her time to go home. I would have liked to have heard the dialogue between her guardian angel and God. She was medflighted to UW hospital in Madison, WI and stayed for a couple of weeks and as of this writing she's in a skilled care nursing facility closer to her home in Iowa for intense rehabilitation. She earned her first Top Director luxury trip to Sweden, compliments of Mary Kay, and she, unfortunately won't be able to go. The company will "bank" the trip for her and allow her and her husband to go on next year's trip to Munich Germany.....
• Am I an Advocate of Helmet Laws? My friend and her Harley buddies never wear helmets......I was always bugging her to wear one. She chose not to....it was her choice. The newspaper article made the distinct point that the cyclists were NOT wearing helmets and said how the woman driving the car was wearing her seat belt and her airbags deployed. Like that really matters....what about the fact that she crossed the center line and was ticketed with inattentive driving? I am certain that if it's your time no helmet will save you. Would I wear one when riding or driving a cycle? YES...Did my husband just sell his motorcycle? YES....Am I thankful? A little bit.
• MK Convention....At the end of July Scott and I headed to Dallas, TX for our annual convention. Our unit was recognized in the $450,000 Unit Sales Circle. I was proud of them. The message that I heard that hit me the most was: "If you're avoiding disappointment, you end up living disappointed."
• Joe....Our dog Joe is no longer with us. This morning we decided to put him to sleep. We had been having behavioral issues with him and he was growling quite a bit and even snapped at Scott. We were fearful he might bite someone. Also, he had begun peeing and pooping in the house and he was 12 years old and quite arthritic and going blind. When we took him to the vet's office I wasn't ready for the surge of emotions that came over me. I'm sad....I'll miss him.
• School started for Stefanie and it starts this week for Jake. Stef's a junior in hs and Jake is in the 7th grade. Stef opted not to go out for cc after much thought and prayer. She wants to focus more on basketball and track...her 2 loves. Football has started for Jake. He's doing great and seems so excited to go to practice. His first game is next Thursday. I'll be sure to post....tune in.

That's it for now.....a recap of the quick summer. Thanks for helping me "blog, blog and get off my log."