Day 120.  Saturday is a good day, a busy day.  At the end of the day I look back and realize I don't have a picture.  I had plans for one, but it didn't pan out.  I guess from now on I should really have a back up plan.  I take pictures that I think will be pretty good only to get them on the computer and find out they are out of focus or just plain blurry.  Needless to say, somedays are very frustrating.  Then you find that you took a really great picture, so you keep going.  This isn't that shot.  But, it was fun.

Day 119.  Yeah, we did it finally.  We made popcorn balls tonight.  They are so addictive.  I probably won't go to sleep for a while.  We use an old recipe that Stacy's Mimi passed down.  It uses white Karo syrup and butter and vanilla.   I don't know why we only make them around Halloween and Thanksgiving, except that it is for my own good.  Making popcorn balls has become a fall tradition for our family, and one I look forward to and hope will keep going.  Some traditions die because they are no longer relative to the family and some traditions continue because they bring the family closer together.  This one definitely brings us closer.  

Day 118.  The twins were both inducted into the Junior National Honor Society tonight.  It was pretty cool.  There are over 350 students in the eighth grade at their school and tonight there was 57 inducted.  That's pretty good I think.  They are in a good class.  I love that.  We have prayed for this all of their lives and God has been so gracious.  They will have good friends for life now and that is priceless.

Day 117.  A couple of years ago, I got into some carving classes at the local art center.  The goal was to get good enough to carve on a walking stick.  The instructor was pretty good and made it look easy.  I finished two faces before my schedule wouldn't allow me to keep attending.  It was a lot of fun and I met some good people.  I didn't have the right tools so I had to borrow some, and that's not fun.  Anyway, it's seems to be getting harder to find things to take pictures of.  I really need to get out to the park or someplace besides home or the church.  But that is where I am everyday, home and the church.  These last couple of days I haven't been motivated to take a picture, but, Stacy won't let me quit.  I am glad for that, because I do want to finish this project.  Only 248 days to go.

Day 116.  This is actually from Saturday.  Dugan played in the All Region Band and they did so great.  He is also pretty good at tennis, and getting better.  I hope all my kids realize that they can do anything if they really try, and I love watching them try.  Dugan wasn't sure he wanted to try out for the All Region Band.  He had some good encouragment that helped him decide.  When it was over he was so glad he did.  Life is to full of regrets over things we didn't do.  I'm glad this experience will never be a regret for him.  And next year will be even better.

Day 115.  The next time I move, if there is a next time, I will have a check list for things to look out for.  One of those things is to see what kind of trees are in the yard.  Almost all trees make a mess in the fall with leaves and in the spring with blossoms.  But, we have sticks in our yard all year round.  The very large globe willow is constantly dropping them.  Most are small, but there is quite a few that are pretty large. So, quiet often we go pick them up, especially after a windy day.  Saturday was very windy and the yard was full of branches.  Maggie helped me pick them up and take them off.  I wonder if Jesus gets as tired of cleaning me up as I do cleaning up those sticks.  I'm glad his patience is great.

Day 114.  It is Veterans Day.  We had a great service this morning honoring our veterans and encouraging patriotism.  The uniforms we displayed were from guys that go or have gone to our church.  It was very cool to see the different style uniform from different wars.  There was a time, about 30 years ago, that I felt that the veterans hospital was only a place for soldiers to go to die.  The one time I went there was not a good experience.  I have been back several times since and wow what a change.  It is an up to date facility and they take very good care of our service men and women.  I am so pleased to be able to say that.  Because, our veterans deserve the best.