Mini Vacation pt 1...By the Numbers

Welcome to the ol' blog today~

Today you get the first half of my mini vacation in numbers~

Are you ready?


97555...The number of miles I now have on my 1998 Chevy Malibu...We have always rented a car to go home but this year we took mine and she did Great!!!!

9770...Elevation of one beautiful lake and yes I got a headache so...

2...Excedrin to the rescue

1445...How many miles we drove during our little trip

$149.02...The actual amount we spent on gasoline...some places in California are over $4.00 per gallon...I guess Phoenix is not so bad

119...Important *not* emails waiting for my return

$103.00...The only other money we spent on meals, snacks and a couple gifts...we are a pretty cheap date:)

92...Silly Farmville gifts waiting for me...yet I still have not even looked at them

63...Sudoku puzzles completed...mostly while driving

55...Number of pictures I took...actually not too many for me:)

22...Hours of driving - 11 up and 11 back

10...Mosquito bites...I should have known better not to sit on the lawn just before the sun went down...My skin must taste SO sweet:)

6...Gorgeous Lakes

5...Glorious days with NO electronics...Not even one cell phone call...good for me

4...TCM movies...Turner Classic Movies...Some real oldies

3...Adults together for five days without one hint of a disagreement

3...Beautiful, Restful and Relaxing days spent with my MIL

2...Afternoon naps

2...Lawns mowed

1...Table refinished and painted

1...House sign refinished

1...Adorable and well behaved little doggie

1...Great Big God Who Blesses Us Tremendously!!!

1...Dream of a Real Vacation to the Beach ~~~ Someday:)

Considering Even a Mini Vacation with Great JOY!!!
Cindy

Army Wives and Vacation

I would like to share something very special with you.

My friend Cindy Summers of Army Brats and Me will be featured in a very special edition of Army Wives Gives Back this Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 10 pm et/pt.

Cindy is a special woman, army wife and mom of three beautiful daughters who has over the past two years battled breast cancer and won. She has taken what she learned and lived through and is now helping other women who are facing the same trials. Cindy has started 'Cindy's Hope Chest' in an effort to Give Back!

I am honored to call Cindy Friend and hope you will stop by her blog, visit her foundation and watch Army Wives on Sunday night. You will be blessed by what you see.

And Now.................

Here is where I will be the next 5 days:

This is a truly special town on the Eastern Slopes of the High Sierra Mountains in California.
My husband was born in this quaint little town of about 500 people. My parents owned a restaurant there and it is where He and I met, fell in love and married more than 30 years ago. His mom still lives there and we are going for a visit.

Can you believe there are still little town's with NO stop signs on the main street all the way through town? Yep, it's were we are headed. Oh, it's half way between Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe! Are ya' jealous ~ Ha ~ Beautiful!

We will be basking in beautiful weather, cooler temps, snow capped mountains, cold running streams, gorgeous lakes, tall pine trees and overall country that only God could create.

Our kiddos/grandbabies will be staying in our home as we are resting.

Just look at this beauty. Can't wait to share pictures when we arrive home:)

Enjoy while we are away. I'm sure you will all miss me So Much ~ HAHAHA!

Considering Visiting Cali with Super Great Joy,
Cindy

Just had to Share:)

My niece brought Elliana Faith

into the office the other day for her

first visit.

I just 'happened' to have a camera!!!

Mama Loves her little angel

Her heart is perfect!!!

Great Auntie Cindy

is just enamored with this precious one!

My sister and I are so blessed to live close to each other but also blessed that our children have kiddos near the same age who get to grow up together.

Kori and Gabbie are best buds and we pray that Ellie and Katie (soon to be born) will be just as close:)

Considering Family With Great Joy,
Cindy

1st Grader

It just takes my breath away when I realize how quickly the days turn into years.

It seems as only yesterday I was posting pictures of my precious granddaughter's first day of kindergarten and here I am posting pictures of her first day of 1st grade.

Where does the time go?

Precious

Hamm


Loved by her Nana

And now she gets driven away to a new adventure

My heart just melts.....

Considering Her With Great Joy,

Cindy

Team Building 101

Hi Peeps and Welcome to my Blog today! I am so glad you have joined me here.

My disclaimer for the day: My pictures may be fuzzy but when you take them in the rain...

Have you ever walked into a Wal-Mart of Target and caught the employees in the middle of their 'Pep-talk' for the day? What about a 'raw-raw' session? Did you know that major corporations spend thousands of dollars every year in an attempt to 'unite' their employees? Other companies pay teams to come in and help with 'team-building' efforts. Even some churches have team building sessions. It is quite sad in our society that we have to 'create' team spirit.

I have found a place where 'team spirit' is not created but lived out and I LOVE what I see.

This past week our family spent 4 days in the cool and rainy weather of Flagstaff, Arizona (a beautiful place by the way). During that time we watched team building in the most natural way.

Our son is involved in English Style Horse Riding and competes several times a year. It is a highly competitive sport (and expensive I might add). Kids from all over the state come to win. You don't spend nearly $2000 for three days of competition NOT to win. Competition is a good thing yet team building is SO much more important.

Many of the kids we watch ride are all business with trainers and parents pushing for perfection. Don't get me wrong, if you are going to do something then do it well, but I believe you need to really LOVE what you are doing in order to find balance.

Unfortunately I didn't observe camaraderie on the teams we competed against. Kids would arrive at the arena, ride, win or lose, get off their horse and never be seen again.

Fortunately our team is different!

We have a team of kiddos who LOVE what they do. Sure they want to win but it's not the end all. They clean stalls, groom horses, set up and tear down the barn area, and work hard for their rewards. They also have fun. AND...best of all they have parents and a trainer who enjoy watching them do it.

FYI - that little stall area in the picture about became our safety zone during one of the most awesome displays of 'WEATHER' I have had the pleasure to get wet in. I kept wishing that someone had a camera because the picture of all the parents and many kids huddled in that little space with thunder, lightning and pouring rain falling all around us was quite comical:)

Our kids got to show in the rain and mud this past week, unlike the dry (haha) heat of Phoenix. They dawned their show clothes and proceeded to perform like the champs they are. Individually each did their best, braving the elements and allowing the sun to shine through their smiles instead of the clouds.

Corporately they cheered each other on. Here is a picture of Taylor's Fan club:)

Yes, these amazing young people won numerous ribbons. Several of our kiddos became Champions and Reserve Champions these past few days, each of them happily showing off their ribbons, some even winning great prizes. But the most important part of the event came Saturday night when we really experienced (as a family) our kids involved in true team building and we let them do it.

You see, when you release kids to enjoy themselves after it rains for three days and there is a muddy arena ... well ........ Competition gives way to fun and fun gives way to true team building! Out in that arena was an autistic boy who Never plays with the other kids, yet he was in the middle of it all enjoying, laughing, running, and even getting muddy with the other kids. Kids from 5 - 25 were out there enjoying the playground that God provided that night.

Yes, quite a few bathtubs were filled with mud that night but who cares when you look into the eyes of a team who truly love, respect and encourage each other.

Through horses, these kids have learned what it means to work, help, encourage, befriend, support, laugh, cry, be compassionate, celebrate, be humble AND be a team. These may be individuals with very different backgrounds and reasons for riding but they are a true team.

My son didn't begin riding for all of this. He started riding for therapy. A child who wasn't given the hopes of life yet God had a different plan. He loves animals and needed a source of Physical Therapy and this is were we ended up. Only God could have known that it wasn't Physical Therapy we needed but a different kind that only He could provide.

Yes, I need to brag just a bit about my guy. He won 5-1st, 3-2nd, 1-3rd, 1-4th and 2 Reserve Championships. I'm just a little bias but he is just delightful and an awesome rider.









Who would have thought after 4 days of being together that the kids would find it difficult to say good-bye to the horses and ponies, especially when they would all be reunited again the next day?

But in the end, NONE of Team-Building is possible without an EXCELLENT leader!

Kristin, We Love You!!!!

Until next time-Consider Building Your Team With Joy,
Cindy