The Big G Day

On Friday May 24th 2008 My son
Graduated High School!( the one with the glasses)
it was a wonderful day
the ceremony was held at night and needless to say it was very chilly
but all the families watching their children survived.

I was so thrilled My son lead everyone
in pledging allegiance
and I think he was a bit nervous and
wanted to get the show on the road so to speak that he kind of sped through it but later he told me he was actually keeping up with one of the students
standing near him.

after the ceremony and all got their diplomas we heard the class of 2008 song which was Good Riddance by green day aka "the time of your life"
it really suited this class of young men and women


the photo with Kiel and his friend Mike
we are kind of like the second home to most of his friends.

somewhere in the process of these years I have somehow become their
adopted Mom ( not complaining)
I felt enormous pride hearing all their names called!

Celebrate

Sorry no Photos !

Today we celebrated My Son Kiel's ( pronounced Kyle)
graduation from High School we had a terrific time
but I was busy making sure all the food was warm enough
and ready to go and mingling I was unable to take photos!

I am very blessed to have such a wonderful family
come and celebrate with us for these reasons:

For Loving my son and caring to come and
congratulate him, ( we will do this again in 2 yrs for my daughter' high school Graduation and / 4 years for his college graduation!)

For my daughter for decorating the house as only she could do!
( what a creative mind!)

I was blessed that my eldest niece came with her husband who
just recently finished Chemotherapy and we know what a champ he is!

For my sister J taking the train into town and being able to
attend the graduation with me ( she was there the day he was born)
so it only seemed appropriate that she share in watching this event occur

For my nephew who brought his son and wife early so that I could have
quality time with them and for spending his birthday with us
and for his son letting me hold him!

For my mother/father in law for driving such a long way to
join us in the celebration ( they have to travel next weekend to
see one of the other grandson's graduate as well!

For my sister H bringing her beautiful grand daughter

For my sisters E & M bringing fruit for us to enjoy

For my cousins and their families and one of my uncles joining us

For some of Kiel's good friends stopping by

For some wonderful Mexican food that I had catered
and we all seemed to enjoy.

That I am so very blessed for the family and Friends we have.


for all these things made a great celebration that Kiel and I will treasure
always!

Poem for my son

Over the course of this year when ever I found my " alone time" I
started to write down thoughts about
my son graduating high school this year and how next fall he will be out on his own in college, and well when it was all said and done this is what I ended up with.

I am previewing it with my blogger friends I have had it printed on nice
old antique paper and giving it to him
on his graduation.

ok, here it goes ( remember I do not claim to be a poet of any source
but like this quote I once heard and
forgive me if I don't quote it just right but it went something like this
" Even artists were once amateurs"

and well I am the amateur!

and now the Poem:

On the day that you were born
I have always known
a day would come
I'd send you out on your own
wherever the road leads you to roam
you know the road that leads you home

When life seems crazy and your feel despair
remember my love, and constant care
these feeling are
natural for you are all grown
you know the road that leads you home

Your journey begins and stories to be told
wisdom will come from those of old
experience life on a quest of your own
you know the road that leads you home

One day you'll remember lessons
that were taught to you, most important one
to thine own self be true
patience, love , and kindness to guide
where you roam
you know the road that leads you home

And now that you are all grown
a day will come where you've always known
you will send your children out on their own
where ever the road leads them to roam
they will know the road that leads them home.

so there it is , the poem I wrote for my son and I hope he will like it.
by the way excuse the photo I am not a very photogenic person either !
in fact I dislike my photo taken.

let me know what you think.

a repeated thought

sorry no photo
I am not sure how much blogging I will get done this week
the next few weeks are very hectic around here
family coming to visit and celebrate my son's high school graduation
and next week my hubby having surgery and then the week after that
my daughter will be 16!!

anyway here is a quote I came across and well
it gave me food for thought.


"NEVER FROWN WHEN YOU ARE SAD
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS
FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOUR SMILE"


hugs to all

Day Trippin

On Saturday my husband and I decided since our kids were off doing their own things and they were going to be gone all day that we should have some fun too, so we got in the car and ended up driving along the coast up to San Francisco,
we stopped at Pigeon Point light station the beautiful light house caught our eyes.

while there we took photos from the deck and then went into the gift shop
and then looked at the pretty view
they are repairing the inside of the actual light house so no tours were available.
we
found out that there is a hostel there
for anyone and so we took information and who knows maybe one day we will go stay there.

out on the rocks there were some
sea lions basking in the sun.

and the ground was covered by these beautiful color flowers that look like
they could grow in the ocean!

isn't this a beautiful sight, I have always loved light houses I don't know why there is just something about them that I find fascinating. I used to collect mini statues of lighthouses.I often wonder about the keepers who worked and lived in them. If I were rich I would buy one!!!

I also think what a peaceful feeling it is to listen to the wind bellowing and the sound of the crashing sea.

after our stop there we wandered around half moon bay then ended up
in San Francisco and walked around the pier listening to one of the locals play his sax and of course he played that famous Tony Bennett song " I left my heart in San Francisco" it was really nice listening to such great music and having a nice dinner. of course we do like hanging out with our teenagers but now and then
it is great to have fun on our own!!

our little Fair

This happened at our little fair on May 8th 2008 and I thought it was cool to share

YOUTH DONATES AUCTION PROCEEDS, $13,000 TO CANCER SOCIETY

Youth and 250 pound pig = $13,000 for American Cancer Society

Emotions were high in the livestock auction ring when Orelia “Ory” Rhodes donated all of the proceeds of her pig to the American Cancer Society today at the Merced County Spring Fair in Los Banos and at $50 a pound that comes to $13,000! Thirty-six members of the community stepped up to purchase the 250 pound pig. Originally there were six buyers that had pledged a total of $8 per pound; Parreira Almond, Dennis & Janet Soares Farming, Allen Von Allman, Joel & LaVonne Allens, Eric & Erlene Fontana and RPAC, LLC.
When Rhodes left the ring everyone started holding up there numbers. “The auctioneer asked what was going on and the crowd replied that they weren’t done,” stated Spring Fair Coordinator Patti Toscano. “People wanted to contribute and be a part of what Rhodes was doing which meant thirty more buyers and a total of $50 a pound.”
A regular volunteer at the Los Banos Memorial Hospital, she was especially moved this year by the children fighting cancer at the hospital, “I’d like to become a pediatrician and help kids,” shared Rhodes. Rhodes, who just celebrated her 17th birthday at the fair on Thursday, has had three family members die of cancer over the past
few years. When asked why she wanted to donate the $13,000 to the American Cancer Society she simply stated, “I thought maybe this money can help someone.” “The kids involved in the 4-H and FFA programs never cease to amaze me with their maturity and worldly thinking,” commented Spring Fair Manager Ron Brandt. “For a high school student to come up with the idea of donating her hard earned income, not just a part of but all, to the American Cancer Society so that the lives of others can be touched, is not something that you usually think of coming from a 17 year old.”
A Dos Palos FFA member, Rhodes is also Fair Royalty at the Merced County Spring Fair as the Miss May Day 1st Runner-up. Incidentally, she is no stranger to giving. Last year Rhodes donated the proceeds of her livestock project to Valley Children’s Hospital. In addition to being a Catapult Youth leader, she donates regularly to a number of community charities and shelters.

“I don’t keep track, I just do,” stated the humble teenager. When pressed for why she spends so much time volunteering she replied, “My Mom! She is the biggest giver ever and we grew up giving. I want to follow in her footsteps.”

Recognition

The Los Banos School District Board has a hard job ,such long agendas at the meetings and usually makes decisions that some in the community are not always in agreement, but
they have the students education to
think about and I give kudos to those men and women who have the courage to run for school board.

The Los Banos school board
always has a senior student be a representative on the board to kind of be a voice for the students.
this year my son has had the honor of being this representative.
this past Thursday was his last meeting as he will be graduating. so in honor of my son's year coming to an end and for the superb job that he did he was recognized by the school board and honored by a gift of a beautiful engraved fossil alarm clock. what made me the most proud was listening to these strangers tell everyone in the room what a personable, well liked, young man my son is. and audience members saying " that smart kid is going places"(nice to know we have raised him well!) seeing my son up there behind that desk with his name plate and listening to him thanking them for the opportunity to have served on this board with them, it gave me goosebumps ,because in that moment I realized my son is destined to achieve and make a difference somewhere in this world!

After he was excused he had to rush back to the high school for another recognition. his drama club he was given the award of most valuable person. not only did he act,help design and build sets,did make-up and for some record and score music but he was also the club's treasurer for the last three years. he was very honored by the statue he rec'd.

yes, this past Thursday was truly a day of well deserved recognition and I could not be a prouder
a mom!

The sound of Music

This past Tuesday we attended our daughters guitar class recital.
she and her class partner played a Beatles tune Eleanor Rigby

My daughter has played the guitar off and on for many years. when she was in 8th grade she and her best friend
started a band to play at chapel for
school news of the band became popular that they were interviewed and an article was written about them
in an Adventist Magazine( the school was an Adventist School) sadly the band only lasted that 8th grade year as most of it's members graduated!

since she has played for fun, and when she feels the need,

I know she has written some songs on her own but nothing she wants to share with me or anyone
maybe one day she will!

who knows maybe one day I will wake up to find that I may have the next Taylor Swift ! ( she is one of my gals favorites!)

Beautiful Flowers

On our anniversary this past week
my hubby bought me this beautiful
Hawaiian bouquet. there is kind of a little story about why I wanted Hawaiian flowers.

we were stationed in Hawaii when we were first married and my youngest sister in law was getting married we could not attend the wedding so we had sent her a Hawaiian wedding bouquet, any way I had told him
that on our 25th anniversary I
wanted a Hawaiian bouquet, I reminded him every anniversary and
well he tried to fool me the bottom photo he sent to me is silk flowers saying "our love is forever" I said thank you and it meant a great deal
you see my husband is really not one
for giving flowers. so I had told my co-worker well I guess he forgot about the Hawaiian bouquet. feeling a little sad, the next thing I see is him bringing me this big Hawaiian Bouquet! saying to me " you thought I forgot" I said well kind of, he said he just wanted it to be a surprise indeed it was!
I am so enjoying looking at these flowers everyday! and I am so blessed that he remembered!!!

Silver Bliss

wow it is here! 25 years ago today
I married my soul mate. it has been a
whirl wind of a roller coaster ride one
I would take again in a instant! it has been and still is silver bliss to me.

we have been through a great deal
of life in the last 25 years some
happy, some sad, some trials and tribulations and well isn't that what
marriage is all about.

it has always been the heart of the matter.

we have surpassed what nay sayers told us many years ago, well to be honest we surpassed it by 20 years! and we are looking forward to the next 25 plus years

when we got married it was just the two of us with out the wedding hoopla. I have always wished that our families would have been there, but I guess things turned out the way they were meant to. when we married my husband was in the U.S. Coast Guard and we were stationed in many great places and even though at times I felt like we were gypsies always moving I always told my husband that home was where ever he was as long as we were together I have kept that feeling still today.

last year we started taking our little road trips to make sure we spent quality time together
we still plan on doing that some this year but our family is going through some things and preparing for our son's graduation celebration we decided to postpone our 25th anniversary celebration getaway to a later date.

we are however going to go out and have a nice dinner!!