Spring Break Top Ten

There a many things to love about being a teacher. Spring Break is one of them. It comes at a time when you really NEED it and can also fully appreciate it as well. Here are my top 10 reasons to love Spring Break:

1. Sleeping in is totally the best thing... even if you don't do it every day.
2. You can find time to do things that "normal" people do, like bake a batch of cookies.
3. It is totally okay to wear jeans every day except Easter Sunday.
4. You can catch up on long overdue items of "personal importance" - like doing your taxes!
5. It is okay to stay up late reading a book or knitting or whatever your heart desires because you can always sleep in the next morning (see #1)
6. The dog gets to go for more walks than he normally does.
7. You can take an afternoon to just hang out with someone you love - no schedules, no deadlines... nice!
8. The weather, although sporadic, is generally nice enough to convince you that winter is nearly over.
9. You can catch up on your correspondence... both snail mail and email.
10. Sleeping in.... did I mention sleeping in????

We hope you all had a wonderful Spring Break... wherever and however you managed to fit one in!

Easter Fun

Miss Sydney Grace Jameson in
her very first Easter dress.

Easter morning we were greeted by a very interesting snowstorm that threatened to make the day feel more like Christmas and continued on and off throughout the day.

After Church (which was lovely with all the music and lilies you could wish for) and a stop in at the Immanuel Youth Group's Easter Breakfast (complete with the famous Egg Bake and French Toast Sticks), we headed for Gret and Leon's to celebrate with some great food and relaxing fun.

The photos that follow don't begin to capture all of the day. I even discovered something new about my daughter.... she had NEVER seen the Disney classic, "The Swiss Family Robinson!" I can't begin to imagine how we overlooked that part of her childhood! So, of course, Leon and I (who are "experts" on this film) had a blast telling her what was coming next as we watched it on the Hallmark channel. What a hoot! Do you all remember the ostrich race? Or the rather hilarious battle vs. the pirates (who spoke no language anyone could recognize) that included a tiger pit? Well, friends, it is high time to revive this classic!

Sydney stayed dressed in her Easter finery long enough for me to snap about 50 adorable shots of her... no, I won't post them all here. But I will put up several.

A pretty table set for a feast.

"Whoa...here comes grandma with that camera!"

"Okay... I'll smile for one...and then
maybe she'll go take a photo of Bailey!"

"What do you mean I'm too little to look for an Easter basket??!"

"So who gets all my candy? Daddy?! That's not fair!"

"Well, forget it then.... I'm going to take a nap!!"

Finally, no holiday would be complete without a shot of the cooks. Gret and Ed were in their very best form as they prepared roast leg of lamb, grilled potatoes, Waldorf salad, oven-roasted asparagus, and carrot cake. Last November they had fun comparing their tummies... but it would appear that Ed has regained his lead in that category, too, as measured (sort of) in the kitchen on Sunday!

We hope your Easter was happy in every way!

The Man I Hope We Have the Courage to Elect!

If you haven't seen the speech yet, set aside 38 minutes from your day and listen, really listen, to the speech Senator Obama gave in Philly on Monday night! Amazing! Powerful! Earnest! I've read his book, seen his positions, and am impressed with his aspirations for our country. This is a man I feel I can trust. In an ideal November, he'd invite John Edwards to be his running mate... now THAT would be an election to be excited about!

Too Much of a Good Thing... or "Get Me an Ark!"

It's raining again.... second day.... puddles everywhere. And it's going to rain tomorrow too. Makes all talk of drought vanish... but automatically causes worry throughout our beloved state of Missouri!
So how much is too much?
Well, the folks in Piedmont, MO had to leave town today... that's too much. And my co-worker had to stay home today to keep his basement drained... that's too much as well! We are tired of that pitter-pattering on the roof.... and wondering when the sun will shine again.
However, my flower beds are starting to burst into life.... daffodils, tulips and all the irises are poking their green fingers of spring up through the dirt... just checking to see if it's okay to show up.
And I am wearing a rain coat instead of a snow parka.... and getting to use my flowered umbrella. So there are trade-offs! Spring will arrive in two days!

Meanwhile... drip, .... drip, ..... drip, ......drip.......

"In your (almost) Easter Bonnet..."

Here's photographic evidence that the perfect hat makes a fashion statement complete! Sydney celebrated Palm Sunday by wearing her outfit from Grandma Jameson to church and then came over for a photo shoot! At 10 and 1/2 weeks, she's already got all sorts of charming poses for the camera. Since I just couldn't seem to choose a favorite, I decided to collage them all... I just love Photoshop! So here is Sydney in her almost-Easter bonnet!

Coming up for air!

It's time to admit I am a bad blogging example. Yes, I admit that I daily check my kids' blogs for the latest news of their lives, but I almost completely neglect to post my own. Perhaps, as I rationalize this, it's because my life is not presently as exciting as theirs with all the newness of babies and family activity.
But that's not really the case. Lately, it seems as though I run to work, put in my 8-10 hour day, and then come home to collapse for a bit before starting it all over again the next morning. Thus, the treadmill of life cycles on.
In fact, I am only writing this as this moment because I have caught a rotten head cold that makes lying flat in bed something close to "sinus water-boarding" - so I am sitting up and writing as I enjoy breathing for a bit.
So what's new here? Not much as far as the Staudes go.... but we are here, we are counting the days 'til spring and, hopefully, will have more "cold-free" days to come! " - Carpe Diem!