Outside fun …

Giggling, and enjoying swinging

Athenah LOVES to be outside. Going for walks with us in the evening, playing with all her toys outback, and going to the park. She just loves it, and in those times, you can simply enjoy the simple things that just makes people happy. After all, we were once those children playing and enjoying life.

Just enjoying a walk

I think the most fun we have is when she is at the playground or with the toys in our back yard. She is so active, and enjoys the time outside.

Play Time VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

All I can say, is that she keeps all of us busy. From her Uncles, to Pa and MeMa … and always has us with smiles, laughing & simply enjoying how much fun the simplest and silliest things can be.

Add Music, and it still makes it fun

I think the vids and pictures pretty much sum it up! But what you should really keep in mind, is how much fun they have … and sometimes it’s a good idea for adults to relax a little and find that fun time in themselves.

“One joy scatters a hundred grief's.”

original post date: 12/30/10

Every day there is nothing but war, devastating event or some horrid drama on the news. The media always focus on that, after all it draws us in. Yes, even I admit to being pulled in by the horridness of what they show. Just yesterday I watch the 20 most significant murders in Hollywood, and then the top 20 of children murderers. I love horror movies, but even I know when a point is reached. I watched them because to me, I was trying to see or understand why they would do this. Interviews were included, and much more. But did I understand or even come close? No, just as I at times do not comprehend war or watching what nature can do on it’s own to devastate us. Yet, every time there is something like this, we are pulled to watching.
Although that is part of what I am blabbing about, it’s not what I want to focus on. I love to read, although I cannot stay focused on some books, others just take me away. I get so absorbed in them that I can see what  they are writing about. Oh did I get off topic, sorta. I have this bookmark that has the Chinese writings for: Happiness, Harmony, Tranquility, Prosperity. I love that bookmark, but the part I always read over & over again is the Chinese Proverb on back: “One joy scatters a hundred grief's.”
For every one of those devastating events, for all the negative just one positive thing can make the day worth living. Each day I see all this negativity but each day one simply things always brings a smile to my life. It’s may sound a bit harsh but it’s not. In life you have to find something positive, something that means something to you. The best thing to do is find 5 positive things in life, they help bring you though the day. But that is getting a bit off topic as well, isn’t it?

“One joy scatters a hundred grief's.”

I see those joys all around me, from grass growing or getting too tall, to leaves falling from a tree. But the best ones are the way my kids & grandchild enjoy their lives, and the smallest things they see or find to enjoy. The best to describe them is to show them, after all a photo is worth a thousand words, so how about a few?

View Full Album

Home Sweet Home

original post date: 12/28/10

Mom always told us “it’s where the Army sends us.” Which happened to be Ft Bragg NC, for most of my live. Since then home has been in several places, but to be honest right now home is here we are retiring, Oklahoma. Where the army eventually sent us.

I went to visit my parents & house-sit while they were gone. Using that as my mini-vacation. I lived in Nickerson for 3 or 4 years, yet it doesn’t even feel like home (or ever has). I have pictures of it, even went by where we lived during that time. Yet it doesn’t have a feel to it at all.  There is really no way to explain it, but when you go by a place you have been & there is a connection to it.
Now this was back in Oct, and I loved the time I spent in Hutch. I watched Hutch High’s Homecoming Parade, down Main St (yes, it’s called Main St). I walked though the car show, and was simply amazed over the vehicles. I loved walking though Carey Park, drove though South Hutch, walking though parts of Nickerson … it was interesting to see many places again. Some I knew, other’s I should have known plus all the changes they had. I mean, Nickerson has a police office! Then there are all the changes to the high school, although I don’t see why they were done.
Now our latest vacation (the family) was to GA. Were we spent the holidays with family. Although there were some hitches, there is nothing like walking into a house and feeling like it’s a home. We stayed at Wade’s home (Stacey’s brother). Which was a bit crowded when you figure it was perfect for the couple who lived there … add us 6, and it was bunched but we did not feel unwelcomed. Going over to Teresa’s home (Stacey’s cousin) was amazing. A huge Christmas tree, with gifts up under it, with cards & pictures all over.The kitchen was small but great place to sit and talk over anything. Going over to Rebel’s home (yes, another brother), was so shocking! It was a beautiful home, seems his wife has done some work on the home (serious artist here & I love her creations) & Rebel (all of which is great). Meeting up with part of the family there was amazing, and hasn’t been done in so long. The family was definitely family! They had their issues but they found a way to work around them, which was great for the holiday season.

But the day we arrived back home, it was simply amazing. Our home, there is no other way to state it. I loved visiting Hutch & seeing the sites in that area. I loved going back to GA to visit everyone. But “home sweet home” was exactly where we left it … and how we left it. It did not get a whole in the roof from tree branches, it did not burn down … it was just sitting here waiting for it’s occupants to return. Our pictures on the wall. The photo album with our memories. The little mess here or there from the rush getting out the door.
Yes it is great seeing family, or visiting past places but nothing is like walking though the door of your home. The place that you created & reflects you. The place where you simply are.

This time the army sent us in the right direction … straight home.

  
I loved the low fog in KS

   
                              Granny & Elf Athenah                        Grandpa Vern, Grandmother & Athenah Rea

 

Madison, Granny & Athenah, Miranda, Ivo, with back of Teresa’s head

 

      
                Rebel, Carolyn & Stacey            My boys & their Cousin Kathryn       

 

Ivo, Teresa, Stacey, Tricia, Wade & Athenah Rea

My Favorite Area:

 

Home & family … always the best to have.

“IT’S NOT FAIR”

original post date: 12/28/10

Fair??? There is no freaking FAIR in this world. We try to be decent people, and do the correct thing. Well, that is some of us do.
Yet there is always that one person who expects you to do it all for them. And when you say NO they start begging, and saying “it’s not fair.” I had to stop & really figure out what I should say and how I wanted to say it.

Not Fair … not when you have to watch a person bury their child. Not fair … when you watch soldiers deploy to a country with a high chance of dying. Not fair … when you see a young child living in a car, or on the streets. Not fair … when you watch the news over a child who’s supposed family killed them. Not fair … is simply what you will find when you look around life. Not fair … Not fair … Not fair … is something all of us are tired of hearing.
Yes you can find “fair” when you get off your butts and start making it happen. Learning to understand that religions are differently, not forcing yours on others, and finding a way to accept them. Learning to know that some people should not be allowed to raise children, to understand when they start reaching out for help. Learning to accept when you can do something & not feel worthless because of it. Learning to control rage, and know when to stop … and find someone when you know you need help to prevent it.
There is so much more to create “fair” but does the list have to keep going? After all that is just the simple start of the list. Watch the news, read the paper, listen to the talks of adults … because you will hear so much that is considered “not fair”. But the most amazing part? Is how they many handle it. When it’s done with out harming another, you will see more “fair” than you would ever expect.
Remember: Life is not fair, it is not some freaking fairy tale. There is no “happily ever after” unless each of us makes the steps to find it. You will still have your ups & downs, but it will be the choice you made.

I am rather sick of hearing “not fair” from so many people. Each day my husband & I wake to raising our 3 amazing boys, and our beautiful granddaughter. We wake each day to check on our daughter, who has moved out & on with her life. Each day we wake knowing that the only way we can have that “happy ending” is by enjoying what we have. Yes there are things that we would like, but to be honest, they are things that we may truly not need. We wake each day knowing that life may give us a little twist or a massive one. But each day we work though it. That is how we find out “fair” in life.

Stop looking at the “not’s” in your life, and look at what you have. Because that is the only “fair” you are gonna find. Go build your castle, or our house with a white picket fence, or what ever you want … but do it with a bit more common sense.

What popped into my head today

original post date: 8/26/10

In life you have your wants, needs, & desires. Then you have your own version of what YOU think are  your wants, needs, and desires … and damn it sucks to learn that YOU idea is not always what you need.
I found in life that if you always went for what you though was a need, you found out that it was more of a want or desire. Sure you get some great experiences from the challenge, and you learn to much.
But let’s just stop and think, do you really need all the bs that we try to go for?
Yes a house is needed, and I am loving the one my husband go for us … even with all the work we need to do. It’s our home, a place for us to live and shelters us.
The F150 we had, wasn’t needed … I loved my truck, and at times still miss it. But to be honest, transportation doesn’t need to be like my truck was. We have 2 cars, one going to my son, but like I learned over in Germany, buses & my feet work really well. I can get anywhere I need to by those simple means. Yes, our car is great because it gives me the time to get there when I feel like it, plus seeing I love to drive … I can drive where ever I feel like. (which I have been known to do often & worry people when I don’t tell them!)
Of course there is the normal must haves: food, clothes. LOL but even those can be over done. I mean do you really have to eat out every meal, every day? It’s one thing to eat out ever so often, but really? It’s really not all that health, plus cooking at home is simply fun! And clothes, even I have been known to over do it there. Oh the sad fact is that going over board can just be too much. But it is something that people do …

Hey even I admit when I am guilty of it. After all, I am simply human. Each day, provides some interesting lessons. Sometimes it just takes us a bit to learn from them …

 

But of course the desires, well that is something each person has to figure out for themselves.

The Changes You Never Expected …

original post date: 7/24/2010

10 years ago I would never have expect our lives to turn in the way they have. 15 yrs ago I won’t have expected it.
5 yrs ago … the events that occurred in the few years just prior showed my family that no matter how hard we tried, things happen and we have to learn to deal with them. Learn to accept them. Oh, we can try to run or hide from them … but that didn’t do any good for the one who tried. It just made adjusting even harder. Which made it a bit harder for our family as well.
You see in a family when something happens to one person it does effect the others who love & care for them. It effects the immediate family, as well as the extended family. What one person does can keep a family together or help destroy it. It takes so much love, consideration, understanding, compassion … and flat out patience when you are dealing with a person in your family who would rather run from the problems than face them. Because you have to try to be there for them, but also for the individuals they are hurting by these actions.  And when that person tries to come back, you have to be there for those who want to accept them, but still have that anger in them. You have to be there for the person who wants their family back, but occasionally does the “1 step forward, and 2 steps back.”
But you see dealing with the person who is afraid to get hurt isn’t the only change we have had to adjust to in our lives over the last 5 or so years. We have lost family (that pain is still there), we have gained family (precious and so welcomed), we are expecting two precious additions to our family (immediate & extended) … Loss & gained. That is pretty much what it all comes down to. Yes we have gained quite a  bit, but we have lost is still there and it still hurts those who don’t know how to deal with it. Or those who just don’t understand …

In the matter of a few days or maybe a few weeks, we will be accepting into our home the our grand daughter. Who has actually help heal some relationship tensions between sibling, and extended family. Yes, my heart goes down a bit when I consider the fact that my daughter is 17 and going to give birth before she hits 18 or even 25 (good time to start THINKING about kids). But my heart jumps when I know I will be able to sit on my living room floor and play with Athenah Rea. This may not be possible when my children bring over other grand children (way off in the future).
That brings us from gain to loss. To be honest, it appears to be the root of all the issues that occur in our house. It does show the love that each person has, but it’s the fear that is tearing them apart instead of bringing them closer. The fear of loosing someone they think they have to have here no matter what. The fear of not know if they will have a few days or a few years. The fear of being hurt because of that loss.
The problem comes down to how to get them all to find a way to cope with it. When you have tried everything  you can, it comes down to involving others who might be able to help you, while you help them. Letting them know that you love them more than they could imagine, and that you are doing what you have to, just so you can be there for them. (Something that they might not realize or understand.) Sometimes it just simply helps when you bring in someone with a fresh mind, a person who can get an outside look at each person and find a way to help them.

In 10 years or 15 years I never expected that my family would fallow a path that would lead us to where we are now. But because life loves to through in those lovely, interesting, little surprises. And the choices we make each time those events happen in our lives, effect how we will be in a few years down the road.
To be honest, life has given us so damn interesting occurrences, events or what ever  you want to call them … I am thinking it needs to go spice up someone else life for a while.