WEEKEND RECAP

We have returned from a laughter and love filled weekend in Utah with our kids (A&K) and our grand-daughter, little miss Gracie.

We had so much fun spending time with Grace at Liberty Park as she set out to explore, run around, slide and swing. It was a brisk sunny day and the park was filled with lots of young families and grandparents doing the same thing.

We had lots of snuggle time with Grace, too. Nothing is better than snuggle time with a sweet grandbaby. She interacts so much now and kept us smiling and laughing.

Such a sweet, sweet girl. We love her so much and treasure every moment we have to spend with her. We are truly blessed. Grace is starting become more verbal and though she still understands much more than she can verbalize, we learned on this trip, that her vocabulary includes the words: shoes, hi, shhhh, mama, no,no,no, no.....,

Here is something else we learned while we were there....

We are going to be grandparents again in early November! Did I mention how blessed we are?

BACK ON THE KEYBOARD

I haven't blogged in over a week, and I had been considering some ideas to blog about when my sweet blogging friend, Laura at Farmer Gal's Market gave me this "beautiful" award. I am honored. Really. Laura is very cool and one of my favorite bloggers!

Okay, so here is the deal....with the award, comes 3 conditions:

1) Link back to the person who gave it to you; 2) List seven things about yourself; and
3) Pass the award on to seven other bloggers.

Seven things about me. I am going to (try very hard) to list some things that I haven't blogged (blabbed) about me already. Heck, I am gonna have to try very hard to come up with seven things...

1) My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla. Such a pure wonderful flavor. If I want I can drizzle chocolate or carmel over it or whatever else I am craving. But alone it is just simply yummy.

2) When I was 13, I began saving my babysitting money to buy a horse. I wanted a horse so badly. However, by the time I had enough money to buy one, I was 16 and decided that a car was a much smarter investment. Many years later, I did own a horse--we actually owned four horses! Once I am living on my Tennessee property, I think it would be so cool to have a horse again.

3) Okay, my claim to fame is that I met Kris Kristofferson after a concert in San Diego as a teenager, in 1972. This was his first tour and my friend and I waited at the back door for the band to leave. (We were the only ones there). When I asked him for his autograph, he told me he had never given one before and signed my ticket receipt (the only scrap of paper I had for him to sign). I still have that autograph.

4) I have my degree in Criminology. My day job is as a paralegal for a law firm and for some time now, I have been writing a crime novel. Writing is my passion.

5) I collect heart shaped rocks (that I find when we are out camping) and guitar picks (from artists I like). Also we have an interesting collection of shot glasses from the places we have visited both near and far.

6) My favorite kind of foods are Italian and Mexican. Love, love, love em!

7) I would rather follow backroads to my destination and because I love discovering "hidden treasures" along the way. Little mom and pop cafe's with delicious food and interesting people; cool old houses and buildings with all of their authenticity intact; and things that remind of me of my childhood.

I could only choose seven bloggers to receive this award--I had to pare my choices down to seven?? Gosh, that is tough. If I have the opportunity to hand out awards again, I will be sure to change up my nominees (cause I love you all!!) Drumroll please.

http://chaptersofsummergirl.blogspot.com/ : My darling daughter is the author of this blog and she keeps me up to date on her sweet, busy life and my adorable grand-daughter!

http://boomama.net/ : Her sense of humor keeps me laughing.

http://definingamy.blogspot.com/ : Introspection and photography. Love blogs that help me see myself and aim to be authentic.

http://www.sustainingcreativity.com/ : Kelli is creative and funny and has lots of great ideas to share!

http://amberskitchen.blogspot.com/ : Amber has tons of delicious recipes with loads of links to lots more ideas for cooking. I love to cook and can get wonderfully lost here.

http://www.thommalyngrindstaff.com/blog/ : Thomma Lyn and I are blogging buddies who share a love of writing and Tennessee. She shares her beautiful hikes through photography and I just love to escape and hike along with her.

My days are enriched with each visit to ALL of my blogging friends' pages!

I AM GRATEFUL

I am grateful that my dad was discharged (with his doctor's blessings) after a three day stay at the hospital with a clean bill of health on his heart and that his scary symptoms were from a bad reaction to a new medication and not a heart attack.



My paternal grandmother, Grandmama, my Daddy's mother, suffered a massive heart attack in October 1978 at age 76. I was not ready to lose my grandmother. I miss her to this day and am it makes me sad that she missed out on her first great-grandchild's birth in August 1979. I love you, Grandmama!

It was a scary week for all of us. My father will be 76 in June. I am so thankful for good doctors. I am thankful for my day and that his General Practioner and Cardiologist took the neccesary steps to be sure that his heart was in good condition. I love you, Daddy!

On the same day, my momma had cataract surgery. The good news is that everything went well and she also, has a VERY GOOD doctor! I am doubly thankful!!

RAIN AND TEARS

On February 13, 2009, 14 year old Amber Dubois walked to her high school in Escondido, California. She was excited about the lamb she was purchasing for her FFA project. She was bringing a check for $200 to buy her lamb. It was 7:10 a.m. when she was last seen walking toward her Escondido High. She never made it. She was never seen again.

Despite a wide search over several weeks by law enforcement and volunteers, no clues led to bringing Amber home to her family. Amber was a good student, a quiet pretty girl with blue eyes and brown hair who liked to read. She had not run away.

A year passed with no leads. But her family never gave up hope in finding her alive and bringing her home.

Escondido is a city about 20 minutes north of Poway, where Chelsea King vanished. Amber's parents both came out to show their support for Brent and Kelly King and help search for Chelsea. After Chelsea's body was discovered and similarities between Amber's and Chelsea's disappearance and that registered sex offender , John Albert Gardner, III, who was living near both of them when they went missing began to surface, everyone wondered if there could be a connection.

Then came the call from a parent who reported their three daughters reported finding a "bag of hair" at a local park in May 2009. On Saturday, March 6th, the police went to the Kit Carson Park and drained a pond and searched for the bag of hair. They found part of a bag that the girls identified and some items "of interest" around the pond, but they said there was nothing found that led them closer to finding Amber.

As the rain fell from the heavy dark clouds that covered the county today, the Escondido Police and San Diego County Sheriff's departments called a press conference in the afternoon. With resignation and heavy hearts they announced that the skeletal remains of Amber Dubois had been discovered on the Pala Reservation (north of Escondido) after a tip led them to the remote area of Pala.

It was a day of great sadness and long awaited closure for the Dubois. Their angel Amber had been brought home at last. But it not the way any of us wanted it to end.

It is believed that the same animal that raped and murdered Chelsea may have also murdered Amber, but the police spokesman said that the investigation is ongoing, so we wait. And we pray for Amber's loved ones who mourn tonight.

KEEP CHELSEA'S LIGHT BURNING BRIGHT

I urge everyone reading my blog to shake off your complacency. This time it happened here. This time it was someone else's precious child. Next time, it could be your town, your community, your child.

Make sure YOU know where the registered sexual offenders live in your state and your neighborhoods and educate yourself on the laws that protect the children in your lives from these offenders.

If the laws are lenient, DO SOMETHING to get them changed and close the loopholes before another child's innocence is robbed and one more precious life is taken.

REST IN PEACE SWEET CHELSEA

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I am heartbroken to report that Chelsea King's body was found this afternoon, in a shallow grave along the south shore of Lake Hodges. Thank you for your prayers for her. Please keep Chelsea's family in your prayers as they mourn the loss of their beautiful daughter and find a way for their hearts to heal.
Chelsea, rest in the arms of Jesus. You are home in heaven now.

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Monday, March 1, 2010


CNN ARTICLE Please keep praying.

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Sunday, February 28, 2010


UPDATE--REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER ARRESTED--SEARCH FOR CHELSEA CONTINUES

Please follow this link to read the lastest news on Chelsea King and continue to pray for her. The search continues for Chelsea and it is everyone's hope to bring her home safe.


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Saturday, February 27, 2010


I am using my blog today to do what I can to help bring a local girl, Chelsea King home to her family.

Our community has come together to help search for her and we are all praying for her safe return home. Three days have passed since her disappearance on Thursday, February 25th and she is still classifed as a missing person after she failed to return home from an afternoon run.

However, IF she has been abducted, she could be anywhere. You can help us bring her home.

Please keep your eyes open for Chelsea. No matter where you live! Small towns, large cities, anywhere. You can help. Print flyers and distribute them. Everywhere! You can also PRAY for Chelsea's safe return.
Here is another photo of Chelsea. If you have seen Chelsea or have any information that will help us bring her home, please call San Diego Crimestoppers at (619) 531-2000. You can also call the San Diego Sheriff's Department at (858) 565-5200.

PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP CHELSEA, HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND VOLUNTEERS--ALL WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR HER, IN YOUR PRAYERS !