Bi-Weekly Update

We had David's sister, husband, 4 kids and a random kid (was told we had an extra person as she walks in the door)  at our house a couple of weekends ago.  They were staying with us for 2 nights before they headed off to Tampa (2 hours away) to stay at a condo for a few days.  They arrived on a Thursday night.  Friday while I worked they all went to the beach and took Isabel with them.

Looks like Summer is here.

Friday evening, after work, I started making a big spaghetti dinner for all eleven of us.  Spaghetti, meat sauce and meatless sauce, salad and garlic bread.  David's sister had her sewing machine with her and repaired Isabel's sad baby blanket.

Then we played a prank.  David's sister took a scrap piece and sewed it up.  We told Isabel it was all we could salvage of her blanket.

She was pretty confused until I handed her the real blanket.  After showers, they all pretty much passed out. They left Saturday for Tampa.

That Monday I flew to Charlotte, North Carolina EARLY to be at the branch there for two full days.  Never again will I try to save the company $$ by taking a connecting flight through Atlanta.  I'm trying to be all "save the company close to $300," but by the time it was all said and done, delays, running, headaches and hunger were not worth the savings.  My boss flew direct so *I* am over the connecting thing.  That, and Mister Farts-in-his-sleep Man sitting next to me on the way up was enough.

The kids drove to Tampa (nervous mom here.  My son and daughter in a car alone for over 2 hours. Ugh) to meet up with David's sister & family at Busch Gardens.  A good time was had.

I returned Tuesday late night and was back at my office Wednesday morning. (Again, no more connecting flights to Charlotte for me.)

The kids are out of school and Isabel and I were sick for the first two weeks of her "summer vacation."  We're both on the mend.

More to tell later (co-worker from Houston in town for training; cake for a good-bye party at church),  just need to upload more pictures.

Whatcha Up To Kaaren?

It's been a busy month, but not so much that I thought it was exciting to post. But here goes anyway.

We drove up in May to Lookout Mountain, Georgia for my father-in-law's retirement party.  He worked 22 years at the same church as a music minister and we drove up to celebrate with him.

They had an entire evening service dedicated just to him and my mother-in-law, with a reception afterwards.

David joins the choir to sing along to his father's last conducting of the choir.

Looking at a slideshow of pictures

It was a quick (tiring) up & down trip for us.

The VERY next day after arriving home, I greeted  a new Seattle trainee who was sent to me for further training.  Tuesday through Friday was spent training a lovely lady.

We took her to Universal Orlando and ate at The Hard Rock there one night.

Dude.  I left work and we went straight here, looking like poo.

Isabel was chosen as one of two "Young Authors" for her class and we went to a presentation at her school for it.

On the last day of May, with a fever, cough and sore throat, I headed off to work because it was the LAST DAY OF THE MONTH.  That's "Go time" at my work and I could not call in sick, especially with my boss in Charlotte. So I'm there, working and hacking up a lung and I hear a knock on my door.   My big sister Brenda drove up from West Palm to spend the weekend and surprised me at work.

UGH. I am always taking horrible pictures!

She had been lamenting not having gone to any backyard cookouts for Memorial Day, so we had a belated Memorial Day feast.

Oh. THIS one's better, right? 

"Oh my ribs!"

Just us gals went to church on Sunday and Brenda then treated us to breakfast at IHOP. The boys did not go because "you snooze, you lose."  We went shopping afterwards (she found 3 jeans at Ross.  Color her excited) and then she drove home.

I've been sick for like 5 days now.  I did go to the doctor's office. Not strep, just a viral infection.  Blah.  Hoping I get better soon.

And that's what we've been up to.