PARTY PARTY PARTY

Thirty-One Gifts Party TONIGHT!!

EVERYONE invited as always. Tell your sisters, tell your friends and be at my house at 7 pm tonight. If you can not make it at 7 come late. Anytime before 10:30 should be fine. See you ALL there.

Then on Thursday is my Pampered Chef party. Michelle Bass is the consultant and I will host. It will be fun. The food will be yummy. Paul will be here too so you are welcome to bring your husband and make it a date night. Either way is good. Hope you can make it at my house at 6:30 ish.

I will have the purses from tonights party still on Thursday if you have to choose just one night you can catch them both that night.

Thanks so much and I look forward to having you here.

Alona

Glenn Beck Experiance

Youth Conference '08

My Glenn Beck Experiance

So, on Thursday I left to NC with the church youth group to chaparone at Youth Conference. We staid at the campus of Western Carolina University. Besides it being in the mountians and everything was either going up or coming down a step hill, it was awesome. We tried it the first time to get where we needed by walking but once we expeianced the distance and the hills, we drove the rest of the time. There was seminars, dances and activites that kept us all busy. So busy infact that by the end of the day, I could barly make it to my room at night. I am sure not as young as I use to be. But I kept up and it was an awesome time. See my slide show below for pics. The best part of the trip was the white water rafting. It was so fun. I had never been so I was nervous but the river was very mild so I survived (incase you did not figure that part out). I ended up wet from head to toe, and my rowing partner in my raft was Addison who sang "Come, Come Ye Saints" as we went along ...You know the part, "And should we die, before our journey's through, Happy Day! All is well!" lol It was really a good time.

So we made it home Saturday afternoon around 4pm, then Dj, Paul and I met over at our friend's The Osteen's house to join Dj's boyscout troop. The boys were invited to participate in folding the flag after the Glenn Beck show.
Glenn Beck was in town with a show at the Township Auitorium. If you do not know who Mr Beck is, you should really check out his website at http://www.glennbeck.com/ .

Honestly, I did not really know who he was. I have heard his name, I have heard my brother talk about him and Paul LOVES the guy (in a very non sexual way, lol). I am not a very political person so, I just did not know him as well as others.

So, we went to the show. HE IS AWESOME!!! I am now totally a fan. The boys were able to go back stage before the show to meet Mr Beck. He talked to them a little, showed them the 40 ft X20 ft flag, they would be folding. Then he told them to stay after the show for autographs.
I have a video of the flag folding but for some reason it will not load to this blog. I will continue to work on it. For now, go to the link below which is the glennbeck.com blog of the tour. Check out the pictures of our boys with Glenn.

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/12554/

I am SOOOOOO Proud of my son but it was bigger then that. I was overwhelmed of the moment we experienced. This was so huge. I was so proud of Camden Ward, Boy Scout Troop 348 Anyone of you who know any of these boys should be proud as well. They showed manners and respect to that flag. They were totally respectful and acted in a professional manner. These boys would have made any other boy or man proud to be part of the Boy Scouts of America.


The boys in the group who did the flag are DJ Rollins, Matthew Moore, Zach Connell, Jimmy Osteen, Campbell Connell, David Osteen, Will Connell, and Ty Miller. These are some awesome boys. The crew could not believe that the boys had only practiced three times before doing this with the third time being just before we got there. We were told by several people that this was the best flag folding that the crew has yet seen.

The next fun part was that after the show, we all got autographs. Even we the parents were able to go backstage to meet Glenn Beck and shack his hand. He then invited the boys to Zesto's (described as the restaurant with the giant ice cream cone on top lol) for ice cream before he had to get back to the airport. Well, we joined him and although he was not able to stay long, he talked to all the employees there and talked to us for a min. Then he said please order some food and thanks for coming over with us. So in the slide show you seen Paul eating his Glenn Beck Burger!!!

This is a night we will not soon forget. What a blast!

Something I read...

An unnamed author is reported to have said, "In essentials, let there be unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things charity"(as quoted by B.H.Roberts in Conference Report, October 1912, 30). In other words, in the things that really matter-- our covenants, the commandments, and following the prophet-- we need to be completely united. In the non-essentials, we have our agency to handle things as we see fit. But in all things, regardless of whether we make the same choices or not, we are to treat each other with dignity and respect, both of which are evidences of charity in our hearts and lives.

I have mentioned this book before but I am gradually reading the Sheri Dew book, "If Life were Easy it wouldn't be Hard" . I have picked it up again and found this part profound. I love this book.

I just wonder what we must think about our self that would give us the right to talk about another person. Who are we to say that if we were in their shoes, with the complete history behind it and not the current history we carry, that we would handle any situation differently.
For example, if you are married and things are not going so great in your relationship, would you or would you not try to make things better. So, if your husband has a hobby that he loves, would you try to participate in the hobby if that meant that he would see you are trying to make him happy and do what he loves so you have more time with him. For Paul, it would be golf. He LOVES to play golf. Although he does not have time for it much now, I know that it would make him very happy for me to go hit some balls with him instead of sitting at home complaining because we do not have time together and he wants to leave to do something he enjoys.
Why would someone judge me for that? Why would anyone think I should not find a way to spend more time with my husband. I am only using this as an example and I am referring to others.
I love Paul and am lucky to have such a loving husband who would do anything for me. We do spend all of our available time together and I am lucky for that. Although others have choose to say really mean and hurtful things about Paul and I, our relationship and things that are none of there business, we have an awesome and very loving relationship. If anyone has a problem with that they really have their own problem. Get off my back and go work on your own issues!!!

I am having some stress issues these days and venting a bit but sometimes we just need to get things out.

Whada weekend!!

I hope everyone had a good 4th. We had a very busy weekend but it was a lot of fun.

First, I closed my daycare for the 4th and took some time to spend with my family. It being DJ's birthday, I had a few arrends to run. We got some things done and Paul went off to work. Then Valencia called and I ran over and took some pictures for her wedding. I was so excited for her. I will let her show the pics that were taken. I am just going to sneak in this one.

They look so sweet and happy together. CONGRATULATIONS VALENCIA AND JOEY!!!

Then later that night we went over to the Ervin's for their annual 4th of July fireworks display. There were a ton of people there, and with that a ton of fireworks. The guys had a lot of fun lighting the works. We really enjoyed them all. Thanks to everyone to pulled that together and thanks Kristi and Mike for the invitation. We really had a good time.

Saturday was another busy day. We had DJ's party on Sat. instead of Fri because Paul had to work. SO we had some friends and family over for a cookout. Tossed out a few more fireworks. Had a good time. Someone brought the rain with them though so we were dodging ran for a while. Hunter was there to entertain everyone while we waited to finish the fireworks.

The best part of Sat was that my best friend from High school came over. I have not seen her in about 14 years I think. give or take a couple years. I am thinking Keely was a baby then but I am not sure how old Keely was then. So it was great seeing her again. I have missed her. We were inseperable while in school. We rode to and from school together, we worked together and we hung out always. I think she staied at my house more then her own.

It was great seeing her and I look forward to getting to know her all over again.

Sunday was a good day as well. Not so much for Alyssa, she was sick all day and had to miss church. I took DJ and Keely to church. We enjoyed testimony meeting. I was even able to share a good news moment in Relief Society. Not for me but I shared Valencia's good news while she was away on her honeymoon. Everyone was surprised but happy for her.

So now it is Monday, we start another week and I just hope that it's a good one for you and for me. SO....make it a good one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DJ !!!

Here we go... 18 pics for his 18th birthday. LOOK OUT WORLD DJ is Legal!!

Not that this means a whole lot right now. He had to register for selective service (draft). He will not be out there buying cigarettes and he will not be getting married anytime soon. He only has one more year in high school. But this is an age that we have all looked forward to as teens. We all wanted to be 18 and legal. I guess so we could have more of a say so on things. When I was 18 I moved out on my own. At 19 I got married and before my 20th birthday I had my DJ. I hope and pray that DJ is smarter then I was then. If I could only hit the redo button. I still cant find that dang button.

Having said that, I must also say...NO REGRETS!. I love my children so much. DJ has always been a blessing to me.

I only wish I would have been smarter about it and would have waited another year or three to get that started.

This is my boy. I love him so much. He came to me during a time in my life that I really needed something of mine. I would not recommend handling things the way I did to anyone else but for me, it worked.

Life was not easy but I loved life when DJ was born and if my husband was ever there for not, I still had my baby boy. He and I have always had a very close bond and relationship. Even now he is very protective of me. He is so loving, helpful and caring. I know one day he is going to make a very very good husband and father. One day WAY LATER IN HIS LIFE. (hint hint)

So here are his senior pictures. He is a senior this year at Lugoff-Elgin High school. He has just completed his Eagle project and is only awaiting his board of review to receive his Eagle advancement. We are all very impressed with the work he did on his project and was in charge of there.

After school next year his plans are to go on a two year mission for our church. Then on his return he wants to go to school and major in wood work and carpentry.

He is a very hard worker and does really good work when it is a hands on physical job. He is very very strong. He has a lot of energy. When he sets his mind to a task it is hard to get him to think of anything else.

I know I am very bias but he is such a good boy and I am so proud of him.

I love you so much DJ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Comment Graphics and Myspace Layouts at pYzam.com

Happy 4th of July!!

This is my pre-4th post and there will be another post tomorrow.

Special day tomorrow so check that out.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a good 4th. Paul will be working on Friday so we will do the cookout thing of Saturday. Let me know if you can join us for that too.

I hope you all are safe and have fun and take a moment to appreciate the Independence that we all share. Sometimes when people take what we have to the extreme it makes me wish there was a little less freedom here. All in all, we are very lucky to live in a land that we are free to choose as we wish.

So, remember tonight is Mary Kay party at my house. Everyone should come. You do not need to buy anything, just come check out all of the new product line that Mary Kay has now. There are new products and new colors. There is a mineral line now and much much more. You can even do online parties with virtual make over. That part is really cool. I have played on there myself. I will be selling Mary Kay now so this is a good time to just come see what there is to offer. Maybe you will want to earn hostess gifts of your own later.

PARTY

MARY KAY PARTY

Thursday July 3rd

6:30pm

Bring A Friend!!

Food, FUN and MAKE UP!!!