Another weekend gone...

Line dancing. The only dance white people can still do without looking like they're having a seizure. Honestly, I wish ballroom dancing were still "in". Yes, I'm a romantic. I love all those movies where the man sweeps the woman across the floor in one glorious dance. I really enjoy Jane Austin's stories, Gone With The Wind, The Sound of Music, the list goes on. Now, instead of actually dancing like the stars all we do is stomp our feet to the sounds of a man/woman whining about what they've lost. I'd like to point out what we've all lost is the social aspect of dancing.By the way, I love square dancing, swing dancing, I learned how to Salsa at the Relay, and line dancing is fun when you're with your friends and they don't laugh when you keep forgetting what you're supposed to be doing.That was Sunday. As mentioned before, Bill and I went to see Grandma. We did not go to the Casino (thank goodness). We went to the Fernwood Botanical Gardens.It was really neat, but we did not spend a lot of time there because it got really hot and the mosquitoes were really bad. We'll have to go back in the spring. But we had a very nice visit with Grandma.This is from last weekend when we went to Dow Gardens. The piggy was in the Children's Garden. He was not a small pig.
Saturday night, Heather O. and I had a girls night. We went to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, yum! (this bear was sitting outside, of course we stopped and took a picture!) We also went on a hunt for Dan's new children's book. One, the Only, Magnificent Me, which surprisingly B&N has, but the Christian bookstore does not... We rented Love, Actually which was not as good as I remember it, but like Heather said, it wasn't as bad as some movies...

Today! Is. National, Punctuation? Day! Just, thought. you'd? like! to. know!?

National Talk Like a Pirate Day

Check out my new favorite Veggie Tales song in honor of today's hot topic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaWU1CmrJNc

still something...

No. I haven't left blogworld. I've been super busy. It's not a good enough excuse, but please accept it for what it is, a lame excuse for not blogging more.

Labor Day weekend we went to the middle of the state, where dirt and gravel roads are alive and well. Where you can see millions of stars at night without even trying. Where our friends Heather W. and Josh live on forty acres. Josh built a HUGE bonfire, and we roasted marshmallows. We took a walk around their property, and we relaxed. I had allergies so I wasn't feeling that great and we only stayed one night. But it was a nice way to get back in touch with nature.

The following weekend was Homecoming Sunday at FUMC GR. There was a big turnout (over 500 in attendance at the 2nd service) and youth group was a lot of fun with a carnival theme. We're studying the Prodigal Son Scripture. This last Sunday we started off with the first two verses and played a shoe match game. Heather O. and I hid everyone's shoes (leaders too) in suitcases. It was fun. It was kind of smelly, but that's okay. We discussed the decisions we make everyday. Everything is a decision. It's pretty amazing. The kids are pretty good about discussing these things. We've had fifteen both nights. It's also Confirmation year, so I think that has something to do with attendance, but it seems like they enjoy youth group so far! Bill and I also became official members of FUMC GR this last Sunday.

This last Saturday we drove to Mt. Pleasant, home of Central Michigan University (who played Purdue and lost), and met Heather W. there. We drove over to Midland, home of Dow Chemicals. Also home to Dow Gardens. We strolled through the Gardens looking at beautiful flowers. We saw a wedding there, then while driving around Midland we saw at least four more weddings, then while eating dinner that night, a wedding party was outside having their pictures taken!!!

I'm on a big gardens kick. This Friday we're going to visit my Grandma. She mentioned something about going to the casino. Um, no. I'm not a fan. I don't care how good the buffet food is. I am not a buffet kind of person. It makes me want to vomit. Seriously, why do you think Americans are over weight? I can't eat that much food. So I'm just wasting money by going. So, instead of not doing anything about it, I remembered that my membership to Meijer Gardens is good for a Botanical Garden in Niles! I looked it up, found directions and am going to cross my fingers that she'll be up for that instead! I also looked up other things to do in the area. Notre Dame is close by, and my Grandfather was an alumni, I love that campus.

We'll see what we end up doing. But that's what I've been up to. Oh, and on this Saturday there's a Degage Ministries walk. So we're doing that with the youth groups and then we're eating at Yesterdog. Perhaps I'll have a picture or two to share from one of these experiences! (it's Jars of Clay's favorite place to eat when they're in town)

Woodward Dream Cruise 2007

Last weekend was the Woodward Classic Car cruise. Many people have no idea what that is. To a car fanatic, or lover of classic cars, one might understand that term. Having lived in Detroit, I will gladly explain it to all who may be confused. Back in the hay days of the 50's and 60's (ahem, we did this when I was in high school too, just not with these gorgeous cars) the "kids" used to drive up and down a strip. Showing off, and doing whatever else they would do in these cars. Now that these are classic cars, it's more of a reunion, of sorts, and every year any one (whether you own a classic car or not) can participate (whether you want to or not, if you live there) in classic car cruises. Detroit being the Motor City has several. There's the Down River Cruise (that's the one closest to where we lived), the Telegraph Cruise, but the biggest of them all is the Woodward Dream cruise.

Woodward, according to my sources, was the first paved highway in the country, M-1. The Dream Cruise is along a sixteen mile stretch, from Pontiac to Ferndale.

Since Bruce joined our family over Memorial Day weekend, it was with great anticipation that we join in our first Woodward Dream Cruise!


This was the line of traffic after we stopped at noon to get some lunch towards the south end of the cruise.

It's our first Woodward Dream Cruise!!!

Here's an orange classic Ambulance, completely restored (even inside)!

This is actually an oops. I was too excited and didn't actually wait until the right moment to snap the picture, but off to the far right side you see an orange car. It's the General Lee replica owned by our friends Kevin and Robin. Many people choose to park their cars instead of driving them (due to overheating, wear and tear, etc). Robin and Kevin parked in Pontiac and we caught them at the end of our cruise day! But as you can see, many people lined the ENTIRE length of Woodward, watching all the cars driving by.

There were also sponsered events. We did not stop to walk around. We'll do that next year! We saw a lot of Corvettes. It was a lot of fun. Basically it was a parade for classic cars. Kids were waving, people cheered as different cars drove by. We saw an entire fleet of Prowlers go by. I admit it, I'm looking forward to next year, weather permitting!

30 things...

1977
My friend Shannon just turned 30. She made a list of 30 things to do on her birthday. I love the idea and I'm using it too. The problem is coming up with 30 things! I still have four months, and I want your help; if you have any ideas of fun (and safe) things I could do on my birthday tell me! I'm kind of stuck. When I get thirty things, I would love to post them. I have a few things that I'm going to ask to do before our cruise. The only deadline is December 13th.

Let the ideas flow...

ps: keep in mind that it will be December and we live on the western side of Michigan, that means a chance for lots of snow!!!