Okay - I finally figured out a few things and have a new blog template. It looks a bit more professional now. Still have to fix a few colors and fonts but it's looking pretty darned good. Especially since I'm the one that had to figure it out. (With lots of help from friends! Thanks, Leona, Sharon, Tiffany, Sheri, Nike and Diana for your expert advice.) It might take me awhile, but eventually this will be a nice place to visit. Maybe I'll even dust the furniture once in awhile. :)

Am still working on spacing, etc. but am slowly getting the hang of it all. Managed to get my blog list where I wanted it on the page today. It always helps to read the "destructions" as my niece, Justi, used to say. Now I am adding blogs and happy to see that the nifty little thingy inside my pc is adding them in alphabetical order. Can't do many at a time as I'm supposed to be working this morning.

Yesterday was a momenteous day! Got a box of books from Gryphon House with my author's copies of The Giant Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans. Had five unit studies/activities in the book. Miah and I went through and found all the ones with my name. It's a great feeling knowing preschoolers will be using MY ideas to learn something about Laura Ingalls Wilder, cowboys, birds, circles and ---hm, forgot the last one! The check will pay for new glasses. Will have to take a photo of the book and post it here.

My new job is working out well so far. It always amazes me that people are willing to PAY me to WRITE.

Back to work -

Boing, boing, boing----the weather has finally warmed up here. We got up into the 80's today! I was actually HOT.

A few days ago, BIL #2 put up the giant trampoline given to the boys by BIL #1. It took a lot of stretching but they managed to get it attached to all the springs.

Miah and Taylor had fun bouncing up and down until they were dizzy. We put baby, Emma, on for a bit. She loved the motion and got quite brave at running from one side to the other, swaying like a

sailor at sea. MacKenzie, another baby cousin, got a big grin and cried when she had to get off.

Almost wish we still had the giant netting that goes around the trampoline--you could put the babies in there--big and small--and let them play!

School is almost OUT! When did that happen? And where did my lovely, long, hours of working go? Time to fashion a new routine for the summer with lots of porch swinging and ice cream.

We made our second trip to the garden store today. The boys got a flat of annuals to plant in their new gardens. I decided to go minimal and bought two carnations and a sweet scented mini rose named, "Cupcake." It's a pinkish yellow and cute as a baby rose!

The "Cookies and Milk" page is up today at: www.timesgazette.com. I did a craft idea and word scramble this month. The girls and I have decided to allow two to write big articles and one to do some smaller activity. Time to put on my crafting imagination and thing of other crafts. June is Mystery month because everyone loves a good mystery!