Friendship - It's a Vivas Thing!

Feb 28 2011

Moving On

The Drama Queen was in tears this morning because her cousins are moving to another state. She wanted to know why they couldn’t stay here like we do and why they always have to move.

It’s had me thinking a lot this week, actually. When I was younger, we moved a bit. By the time I was 13, I’d lived in 7 states; 8 cities, and just as many homes. I always made friends easy, so it never seemed to big a deal. It was hard to leave, but my parents made it exciting to be going someplace new and I have many warm memories of our adventures all over!

My husband’s dad was in the Airforce, so he moved, too. Only he had the opportunity of living in different countries, as well! He being another social butterfly, he adjusted well to new adventure, too.

I’ve been living in the same city now for 22 years! I never dreamed I’d ever live someplace this long! Hubby and I met, married, had our children and are raising our family here.

Friends have moved on; and yet we stay.

Family has moved on; and yet we stay.

My children celebrate birthdays each year with friends they have known since…well, always!

They go to the same church they were dedicated in. Pastors have come and gone, but the church family remains. They have been with us through many the good and many the bad times.

My younger kids attend the same school that their older brother attended and visit the same parks that carry many childhood memories.

There are plenty of adults who are there for them in a heart beat because they’ve known them since before they were born.

I’m sure if God willed it, I’d move to wherever He decided to take us. But in the meantime, I’m glad that my children have been able to experience lifelong friends and memories.

The Drama Queen has stopped crying now. She’s home from church and playing with a friend. I smile and wonder what these two will be like as teenagers together; just like we smiled when B-boo turned 16 a few weeks ago and celebrated with friends from her toddler years.

We’ll miss our family as we wish them well in their new adventures. One by one, they have plans to move away. We understand, but as long as we remain, it sure is nice to have others that have been here just as long,

Feb 26 2011

Bountiful Basket

I recently found out some of my friends have been holding out on me. You see, they've been participating in this program called, "Bountiful Baskets."

And they never shared it with.

Lucky for me, I happened to overhear their bountiful discussion last week and was able to ask why they'd never shared!

One of them is a bountiful volunteer…such a good volunteer, as a matter of fact…the she volunteered to pick mine up for me! (Actually, she even ordered it for me!)

This morning I was up waiting for my bountiful delivery, not really knowing what to expect for the $16.50 I was spending. I was pleasantly surprised!

Fresh tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, pears, mango, bananas, asparagus, lettuce…and more!

Oh! And a coconut!

We started off with a breakfast of scrambled eggs with sauteed spinach and diced tomatoes topped of with gouda cheese. Yum!

Then we had strawberries.

And some of us had fun with a coconut! I got to share childhood stories of coconut while the Smart One googled how to open one. Then drained the milk, had fun passing it around for taste tests…and finally we got to eat it!

And the bread…delicious!

And so, after a bountiful day, I thought I'd share with the rest of you about bountiful baskets because I'd hate to find out you'd miss out on them because I never shared!

Oct 20 2010

10 Years

Would you like to see what has brought me joy over the past ten years?

Celebrating her 1st Birthday!

Celebrating her 3rd Birthday with the Homecoming Boys!

And then there was the costume birthday party! What fun we had!

And the year she got the dress she wanted…her twirling made me smile!

The older she gets, the sillier she gets!

One of my favorite photos of all time! The girls all in the air together.

And now she is 10! More beautiful then ever and growing up way to fast!

Click below for more "Just for the Joy of It!"

Oct 09 2010

40…ish

I was sitting here tonight working on some web stuff while a friend's daughter sat on the couch talking to one of her friends. She's 13. I wasn't paying too much attention to what she had to say, but then…something caught my ear.

She was telling her friend not to cry. Then she told her, "Don't cry about it. It's not like half your life is over or anything. I mean, it's not like you're 40."

Alarmed, I thought to myself, "Is my life half way over and should I be crying about it?"

And then I giggled to myself.

I remember when I was that age and thinking 30 was old.

I remember thinking that we'd be dead by the year 2000.

Or that at the very least, we'd be able to travel through space.

Or that cars would fly.

And now I'm, well, past 40.

And I don't feel like my life is half way over. Yes, there are definate changes, but I look foward to new beginnings, too!

I look forward to graduations…from high school…and college.

I look forward to marriages…and grandbabies.

I look forward to meals for two….instead of what feels like 20.

I look forward to travel.

I look forward to a lot of things.

But I also am content to watch my youngest turn 10 real soon.

And have another teenager in the house.

I love that my friend tonight remarked, "Do you know everyone?" as one of my girls greeted me at a local restaraunt…and I could reply, "She's one of my girls from youth, too!"

I love that my house is always full…full of love, laughter, friends and family.

I love that it's ok to have a front porch that is full of splattered paint from yet another project my kids have done.

I love that my kids are ok with hanging out with mom….I guess I'm not too old yet!

I love this stage of my life.

I don't feel old…well, maybe my knees aren't what they used to be, but…

…my life half over? I don't think so!

Live, Love, Laugh…it'll keep you young!

Sep 25 2010

Teenagers!

More than a few times this month, I’ve had others tell me how they just don’t understand teenagers; aren’t comfortable around them; don’t know what to say to them; and how they just can’t relate to them.

I think they’re great! I had a chance to get to know more of them this week at my work; Loved it!

This weekend we had some fun teen time! Friday night was spent at the homecoming game watching B-boo perform at half-time. Then it was food. I’m sure I got several looks as I walked in with a group of them. And then we had fun playing hearts until I just couldn’t stay awake another minute!

But, what people may not know about *my* group of teens is how awesome they really are! You see, their purpose for spending the weekend at my house? It was to give up their Saturday so they could come help clean up my back yard. And it’s a HUGE back yard.

We had fun raking leaves, trimming rose bushes, digging up stray palms and using a chain saw! Oh..and breaking the chain saw. Which led to the following video!

They were trying to break off the dead branch without a chain saw! Hubby did get it going again, but not before the above incident! LOL

After several hours of work, I finally asked them to pose for a group picture. And I got this:

The first was too dark, because they were in the shade.

So I asked them to pose in the light. Notice the three on the right doing what I asked; but the other three..not so much.
So I ask them again, to pose. The three on the right….still posing.