Grasshopper walking up my sliding door window.

Hi!   On Wednesday we went to the park with the girls and the dog for the afternoon.  Yesterday,  I went to the antique shops (didn’t buy anything) with my girlfriend and then she took me out for this amazing dinner.  We had steamers to begin with and then had a steak and cod fish dinner. Doesn’t sound that impressive but the food was just cooked soooo well. YUM!

Then I stayed over with her at her RV.  She keeps it at a campsite and stays there as here summer home.   Lotsa fun.

I had to leave early this morning to come home because my hubby was going down to South Jersey to spend some time with his family.   

Now, I’m just sooo tired , hardly slept at all last nite.  I’m going to go watch, “It’s Me or the Dog” with Victoria Stilwell on  Animal Planet with the girls. 

Hi all!

We  just got back from our annual vacation to Virginia on Friday.  Every year (well, the last 4 and we are signed up for next year)  we drive to Virginia to a conference center where the Free Church of Scotland Continuing (not our current denomination but one we love) has a 4 day retreat.  All of us look forward to going.  We heard 12 inspiring sermons, helped with the food, and enjoyed incredible fellowship.   The girls have a chance to meet so many other like-minded children.  Monique and Elizabeth write to some of them through out the year.

This year we went a couple of days early to meet a Pastor and his family in Lynchberg, VA.  They were very hospitable and lovely family.  They had a little homestead, with goats, chickens, rabbits, two bulls, cats and dogs. Megan loved it.  She would love to live on a small farm like that.

Megan petting a goat.

Me with one of their many kittens.

We also stopped at Lexington, VA where we stopped at Stonewall Jackson’s House.  He seems like such a godly man.  We really enjoyed the tour. 

Elizabeth.

And here are a few pictures from the conference:

This is all of the families (well just us and two others) from our denomination that attended the conference.

We are on the porch of the main conference hall.

Megan standing in front of the hall.

Monique and friends.  (She cried when it was time to leave her friends.)

This is one of the morning beverage tables. Their was two.  Brian was in charge of both.  This is the one Monique helped with. 

I helped with lunches twice. Next year I will take a larger role in food preparation.

I will try to update more during the week. 

Have a blessed day.

Jenn

Good Morning!

I’m still feeling pretty well (Praise the Lord).  I’ve been a busy bee    and got alot done today already.  (3 loads of wash – yes they are even put away- good start on daily chores, made rice krispie treats and wrote a grocery list.)   Thinking about baking some bread this morning.  My air conditioner had been on the blink for almost 2 weeks  and  I didn’t want to bake or cook a thing!   It got fixed yesterday (cost a pretty penny too but at least it’s fixed!) . 

Today the girls have swimming lessons, so we will probably go a little early to get in some fooling around time.  We can’t stay late cause Monique has to be at the library by 3:00.

Well, I’m gonna go and get started on the bread.  Have a great one. 

Well,  I am finally doing considerably better.  Once I start on the downward spiral it is sooooo hard to stop and change directions.  But the depression has lifted and the anxiety is much less and manageable.  Since what happened with Elizabeth I have had a hard time returning to my diet (Schwarzbien) but I’m now doing much better.  I haven’t been sleeping well in months which always makes things much worse but I’m doing much better in this area as well.

I think my parent’s visit helped alot.  We saw them last Thursday, Friday(the 4th), and Saturday.  We didn’t do much but hang out but just being with them was great.  Played Scrabble with Dad (and won), took a walk with him, and watched him read to Megan.  Talked with Mom, cooked with her and just enjoyed her company.

The 4th was nice too.  Went to my aunt and uncle’s house for a family picnic.  You know one of the things the Lord has taught me this last year is that he blessed me with a great family and I have really taken them for granted.

Since, I’ve been feeling better I have managed to get quite a few things done that have been hanging over my head.  (Another step up)  I had a backlog of paperwork that needed to be done ( oh how I dislike paperwork) but it’s finished. 

The girls and I don’t have alot planned for the summer.  Megan and Elizabeth have swimming lessons and we have our lake badges, but not much else.  We go to the library alot.  I am working with Megan on her reading.

Brian is going to be off for 3 weeks during the summer.  One week we will all be going to a conference in Virginia.  We are talking about what we will do with the rest of our time.

Hope you are all doing well.

Jenn

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation” Psalm 68:19

What’s been going on:

We went to the carnival one night that comes annually to our town.

The girl’s and Brian were in a 4th of July parade held in a near by town.

This is the band they are getting lessons from.

It was a hot day but they all did well.

Megan who enjoyed watching the parade with me.

Honestly, depression wise I’m not doing great but  I am doing a little better.  My parents are coming up this week,  which will probably help alot. 

It looks like it’s going to be a pretty day here.  Hope you all have a good one!

Jenn

Good Morning!

My hubby is lending me his laptop computer for the day.   Kinda neat to be able to blog from my kitchen table.  Brian just walked out the door and I’m sitting here having a cup of coffee.  The girls (who have been out of school for about 2 weeks now) are still in bed. 

It is a little humid but it looks like it is going to be a beautiful day.

Elizabeth is continuing to do better even though we no longer have physical therapy.  Last nite she went running with her dad, she ran a whole mile with a break between each quarter!  She has such drive!  We also bought the Wii Fit with her mainly in mind ( We had discussed it with her therapist who thought it was an excellent idea!).   It has Yoga poses and balance games to help strengthen her core.  We make her do that for a 1/2 hour everyday.    Technology is just soooo amazing.

We still have no summer plans to talk about except for our week conference in August.  We will join a near by lake (maybe today) so we will be swimming some.   We will also being signing up for the library’s reading program today.  Monique is still working at the library, 3 days a week (3 hours at a time). 

Megan graduated from kindergarten.  I was so proud of her.  She didn’t have the easiest year.  She struggled  alot and didn’t have me around much to help her out.  But she, with the Lord’s help, did awesome! She got the most improved student award! 

On the last day of school they have an awards program where the kindergartners sing and show off what they learned through out the year.  The teacher (Mrs. Watson, who is a great teacher and was a huge blessing to me through out the year) chooses a different theme for the show.   This year it was cowboys.  It was so cute. After the show the kids put on graduation robes and have a graduation ceremony. Here are a few pictures and a video of Megan saying her one line for the show.

Megan walking down the aisle.

Megan singing.

Megan saying her line. She did so well, if I don’t say so myself. 

Waiting for her diploma.

The graduate and Mr. Thibault , the principal.

Almost a perfect picture!   LOL!

Mrs. Watson and Meg.

Too bad Monique isn’t here.

Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Jenn

Jim and Jamie

Wow, it’s been awhile.   Here are some pics. finally of my brother’s Jamaican wedding.

Me on the bus ride to our resort hoping the bags don’t fall on my head!

Me and my Aunt Grace at a pit stop on the way to the resort.

What our hotel looked like.  Yes, it is purple!

My Dad out on the balcony.

The maids’ beautiful artwork.

My brother and his fiancee (Jamie) .  (My brother in law Roland, my niece, Amanda and Mom.

Jamie, Mom and Jim (Kid to me!)

The bride coming down to the beach.

My nieces, Amanda, Kendal, and my little sister, Donna.

Jim and his wife Jamie!

Kendal being goofy at the dinner afterward.

And sister Amanda.

A lost crab.

  It was a wonderful time.  I was gone from a Thursday to Monday.   The wedding was gorgeous and it was so great to spend sometime with my family.  I did two things I’ve never done before, went jet skiing and snorkeling.   It was alot of fun.   A break I desperately needed.   Be back to update soon.

Jenn

(my father-in-law at our house a couple of Thanksgivings ago.)

My husband asked for me to post this link for family or friends: http://weblog.xanga.com/JMHanley/

My father-in-law, James Hanley died early this morning of a heart attack.

He was well loved by many and will be sorely missed by many.

Please keep the family in your prayers. 

Thank you.  

Jenn

I’m back.  I always find it difficult to return to Xanga after I’ve been gone for so long.  But I’m back.  Thanks to those of you who prayed and left encouraging comments!

Still suffering some from the depression and I’ve had alot of headaches (migraines) due to spring time allergies.  Brian and Megan are suffering too with their asthma due to allergies.

But some good stuff has occurred since I’ve been gone.  My kids participated in Science Fair at school (which I’m so glad is over!) 

Elizabeth with her project.

Megan with hers.  She is dressed as a skeleton.  In kindergarten you do a class project or study.  They studied the human body.

Monique with her project.  (The lighting stinks.)

And we celebrated my mother- in -laws 70 birthday!

The birthday girl!

Brian and his parents.

3 of my nieces.

Brian’s sister Tara, Elizabeth and my niece Brittany

My gorgeous nieces, Maura (who’s in the Navy) and her big sister Brittany.

My mother-in-law and my hubby’s brother Kevin (Danielle’s hubby)

Hubby, Monique and Brian’s eldest brother, James.

Mom and some of her grandsons.

Mom and a few of her grandchildren.

Brendan (Danielle’s son) singing to his dear Granny.

Some family members have been waiting for these pictures.   So I finally got them up.   I hopefully will be posting and commenting regularly again!

Have a blessed day!

Jenn

Sorry I haven’t been around.   I have been suffering from a major bout of hormonal induced anxiety and depression.  It’s been brutal.  I am starting to feel better though, but now I’m playing catch up. I’m almost done so maybe I’ll be able to blog and comment tomorrow.   I pray all is well with all of you.  Missed ya.

Jenn