Sunday, March 26, 2006

Family at the Derby

Here is another picture that I thought I had posted with the other one below but somehow blogger didn't post it. I liked it and wanted to post it so... here it is. This is Papa Bear, Baby Bear and Grandma Bear at the Pinewood Derby Race. Posted by Picasa

Pinewood Derby Race

Here are Baby Bear's cars that he has entered in races: Left is this year, Last year and when he was in Tiger Cubs. Yesterday we met at the school and the pack headed to Derby Race. Among some that went were Papa Bear, Myself, Baby Bear, Grandma Bear, Baby Bear's BEST friend and his family which we are very good friends with too. We had a great time. Baby Bear entered his car and Papa Bear entered Baby Bear's car from last year in the Outlaw race. Although no one won any awards we had a good time anyway. Afterwards we all went out to eat. Baby Bear spent the night at his friend's. Here are a few pictures we took. Most of ours were short movies which I don't know if I can post or not.  Posted by Picasa

Friday, March 24, 2006

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

I had some pictures from the trip and couldn't decide which ones to post so I made a collage of some. So... Here they are. Some are quite small but I hope you can view them anyway. Some are of us leaving, family get togethers, party, etc....

A trip we will never forget. Posted by Picasa

Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby Race Preparation

Baby Bear is in Boy Scouts and is a Webelo. Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby for Baby Bear's Pack was last night and Saturday is the District Pinewood Derby where all the Packs come to race. I picked out two pictures of Baby Bear and Papa Bear preparing Baby Bear's car for the derby. They are given a kit with a block of wood and have to build a car out of it. They put weights on it.. but it can only weigh a certain amount. When they go to the race they race down a track. They have a lot of rules and regulations and it is really fun to watch. Everyone really gets into this. Last night at his Pack race he came in 2nd place. He received a knife for this. His friend came in 1rst place.

Tomorrow is the final race with all packs coming together to race. I plan on taking lots of pictures. Congratulations Baby Bear on coming in 2nd place at your Pack Race!
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Cucoo leads the way!

We had the privelage of traveling with Cucoo on our weekend trip and snapped this photo of him giving directions to Grandma Bear.
Below is Cucoo relaxing in the pool with Papa Bear.
I just wonder where he could be since he became missing from his three-hour tour? Poor Cucoo hope you are found soon. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Little One's Birthday Party


The party was a success. Here is Baby Bear playing in the balloons at the Birthday Party and Grandma Bear in the background snapping a shot of Baby Bear also.

Here is Little One enjoying the balloons.












Another picture is of Dancer Girl playing with a streamer.

What a fun Birthday Party. Allipur had such great ideals. It was really nice to watch the kids enjoy themselves.

Thanks Allipur for inviting us! Baby Bear enjoyed it and really enjoyed the grab bag.

The Four Bears Posted by Picasa

Friday, March 17, 2006

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hope you all have a safe and fun weekend. We are heading out with Abandoned in Pasadena for a weekend of fun. We are going to see family.

Don't forget to wear your green! I made sure Baby Bear wore green to school today so he wouldn't come in black and blue. *VBS* I can still remember those days in school.

Gotta go pack!

Mama Bear Posted by Picasa

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Happy St. Patrick's Day


Just wanted to say Happy St. Patrick's Day to all who reads this. Hope you have a good one.... that is, if you celebrate this Holiday.

I am a day early because tomorrow we are going on a trip with some family members! I can't wait.... we are loading up in 2 cars and heading out for a weekend of fun. I have been cooped up in this cabin for so long I am so thankful to be going. Papa Bear and I both really need it, and Baby Bear too. He plans on doing a lot of swimming at the motel pool.

Better go and lay out Baby Bear's clothes for school tomorrow.... and it has to be GREEN...... I don't want him coming home black and blue from being pinched. *VBS* I remember the days when we wore green to school on St. Patrick's Day...... if you didn't you better watch out because you were going to get pinched.

Don't forget to wear your green tomorrow. *VBS*
I hope you have a good weekend as I plan on doing.

Mama Bear Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Dr. Seuss Week


Baby Bear brought home this a couple of weeks ago. His school was celebrating Dr. Seuss week. February 27-March3.
His birthday was on the same day as Papa Bear's.

They had a fun week at school celebrating. They had a hat day, silly sock day, inside out day, and pajama day. The p.j. day was Baby Bear's favorite. He said he wished he could wear p.j.s to school everyday. He wore his flannel p.j.s and big soccer shoes (slippers). I wanted a picture to put with this post with him in his p.j.'s but have yet got him to let me take the picture. I didn't have my camera when he did actually wear them. I will get it eventually and post the picture. *VBS*
I have been wanting to write about this for a couple of weeks.... so I decided to go ahead with it.. Oh, I forgot one thing, they had green eggs and ham for lunch one day. Baby Bear really liked that. I think it is nice that the school actually let them do that. They do a lot of things like that which I think is great.


I have always enjoyed Dr. Seuss books growing up and so have my children. I can't decide on Green Eggs and Ham or the Cat in the Hat of the books that are my favorite... but I like them all.


Mama Bear Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

New Camera


Since starting my blog I got this new camera. My old camera I had for several years quit working so we just got another one. It came last week in the mail. It is a nice little camera and does lots of different things. We have been playing around with it and still trying to figure out all the gadgets on it and what all it can do. It is amazing what all it can do. I sure do have a lot of learning to do! I told Papa Bear to just put it on automatic for now until I learn more. But to be honest, it will probably stay there on automatic. That will be fine with me. I love the zoom in lens it has to get up close pictures. We also took some movies with it. We went to Wal-Mart yesterday because we had to have a case to store all the accessories for long trips on the motorcycle. We plan on taking lots of pictures on our trips and of our family. So... this is my new camera. I can't wait for things to come to life this spring so I can practice on my new camera.

Mama Bear Posted by Picasa

Sunday, March 12, 2006

The Great Bamboo Wall


This past summer my hubby set out on a journey to build our great privacy fence. His dad had showed him a bamboo field about 1/2 mile away from the cabin in a field one day while were visiting. Now that we live here in the cabin (his dad has passed away) Papa Bear has always wanted to do something with some of the bamboo. So.. Since we were wanting a privacy from the neighbors, Papa Bear decided he could use the bamboo to build a privacy wall. So, with his hatchet in hand he set out on foot to cut some bamboo. He would cut some, trim it, then pile it in a pile and bundle it up. Then he would drag it all the way home.

After many long days of this he decided there must be an easier way to get the bamboo bundles back to the house so he tied them onto his riding lawnmower and brought them back. As you can see in this picture our cat Shady is checking out the wall.

After some long and grueling days of doing t this he thought he may have enough bamboo to start his wall..... and decided to start building on his wall. He started with placing the biggest, longest pieces across to connect to the trees... then he put a long upright and tied each bamboo peice to the long bamboo going across with a wire. As you can see he had to use a ladder to reach the top. He nailed a board across so he could get on the ladder. Which scared me to death, I thought it would give way and down he would go. He built three walls with this and it was really nice. He had to make several more trips to get more bamboo to finish the project. It took several weeks for him to complete his project. As you can also see he placed a table there and chairs with an umbrella and this year we were going to build a little garden there. He also planted hostas down the side of the wall and put garden lights on the wall so we could set out at night and enjoy nature. The cat's love it too. Sid used to set on the table with him every morning. But now Sid is gone. Well.... after some hard winds this past fall some of his wall came down. He has been down in his back for quite some time so we have not been able to put it back up.... but we are hoping we can get it back up with a little help. He put a lot of hard work into this project and we enjoy it a lot. It also lets us have some privacy.... not quite like we would like... but we do have some. Great job Papa Bear and thank you for our little hideaway spot to enjoy. He is always doing something like this.. this is one of the reasons I love him so much *VBS*... He is so creative, don't you think? Posted by Picasa
This is my oldest son, Brother Bear. He is 22 now.
This is when he was a baby. His first birthday. How sweet. Still as cute as ever!

I have had him on my mind a lot this weekend. I got to talk to him for a breif minute this morning after talking to my mother. He had just gotten up so I didn't talk for long. I just wanted to tell a little bit about Brother Bear. He is sort of a loner. He is very quiet and right now a bit of a rebel. He is out doing his own thing and we hardly ever see him anymore.... which breaks my heart.... I wish he lived close and I could see him more. But I know I have to let him go and do for himself and learn from his mistakes on his own.
Brother Bear is very talented. He can draw very well among other things. I have some pictures that he drew for me over the years hanging on my walls and other things that he has made for me. He was such a sweet boy growing up. We used to take long walks together every day down the railroad tracks and talk... that is when he loved to talk the most, besides when we were riding in the car. He still talks a lot when it is just the two of us in the car. He was very active growing up and I had him at a young age of 19 so I guess you could say we grew up together.

He loves doing tattoos these days. We got him a tattoo gun for Christmas a couple of years ago and he does that a lot. He really enjoys it. He draws them himself. He even gave Papa Bear one for Christmas, this was his first one. Papa Bear says that it is a gift he will never forget from his son. He says he wants to go to barber school and be a barber and do tattoos on the side. I am not very crazy about tattoos but I have to say if this is what he wants... then I say go for it. At least he is thinking of doing something with his life.

Someday soon we are hoping he will settle down with a family and we will get to see him more. Right now we just take what we can. I find myself everyday throughout the day saying little prayers for him and at night. I worry about him so much and wonder what he is doing.

Well, I just want to say to him.. I love you very much and miss you. Posted by Picasa

Friday, March 10, 2006

The BIG TEST

This has been a busy week for me because Baby Bear has been studying the Constitution... or should I say, WE have been studying the Constitution. * VBS * (Mother Bear and Cucoo even helped out last week one night when Baby Bear stayed over for a couple of hours after school).

Baby Bear has brought home a packet full of reading material on the Constitution and questions to answers after you read, a packet for each week. He got one last week that he had to finish by the end of that week, and another this week that had to be finished today. He also had a book of the Constitution. He had his first test over last week's packet yesterday and was one of the top ones out of the whole class that passed the test!! There were only 4 that passed the test out of the whole class. I have to say I am very proud of him. Of course I have to brag when my Baby Bear does so well in school. This made Papa Bear and I very HAPPY AND PROUD parents.

It really surprised us that he passed the test because of the little time he had to study. (Which is a long story). You see, the teacher handed out a study guide the day before with questions that would be on the test. She gave them the answers to the questions on the study guide in class. But...... Baby Bear had jammed his finger the day before playing on the neighbor's trampoline, and it was swollen so big that I had to write for him that night and then when he went to school the next day he could hardly write. It was hurting him and swollen so he went to the nurse's station. While he was out of class at the nurse's station getting treatment for his finger, the teacher gave out the answers on the study guide so he missed the answers. (Papa Bear wonders why someone didn't take the answers down for him while he was out of class). But anyway, he could have brought home the packet that he had finished the week before to answer the questions, but he left it at school. So..... We were on the computer trying to find the answers and then franickly called his friend and got the answers from him.... panicking all the while because he had to study after he got the answers. Whew! (wiping the sweat off our brows!) we pulled it off! HE PASSED.

Anyway everything worked out. Except Baby Bear said that whoever didn't pass the test had to stay in at recess until next Tuesday and take the test again and if they pass they can go to recess, if not, they have to stay in again until Thursday and take the test again. And it goes on and on until everyone passes. Baby Bear is upset because he is the only boy out of the 4 that passed and he said it is BORING at recess. He said his friends had better pass this Tuesday. *VBS*

I didn't realize how much I had forgotten from being out of school. (I didn't like Social Studies that much anyway though). I guess as the old saying goes if you don't use it you lose it. So, I learned a lot about the Constitution this past week, but with my memory, I couldn't tell you if I will remember it next week. *VBS* It worries me because THERE PROBABLY WILL BE A TEST OVER THE SECOND PACKET THAT HE JUST FINISHED THIS WEEK!!!!!! LOL... Mama Bear

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Where are you kitty?

This was our kitty named Sid. It was Papa Bear's kitty. He went missing this past fall while we were away on a trip for the weekend. We were outside today and thinking about him and Papa Bear asked me to write a story about our sweet kitty, Sid. I asked Papa Bear to write but he just doesn't want to write right now. I can't seem to get Papa Bear to the computer just yet, so everyone is stuck with Mama Bear right now. Papa Bear is too involved in helicopters right now. Papa Bear says he will write one day. I know, it is supposed to be a family blog, but what can I say? I can't persuade him to write right now.

Sid was very special and as you can see he loved to eat with Papa Bear but only certain things he would eat. He loved his cat food but not much table food. He loved yogurt and each night he expected it when Papa Bear would eat some... it was a ritual between the two. We all loved him dearly. We raised three of kittens from one of our cats the following year as tweeny weeny babies, Sid was one of them. (Papa Bear named him Sid because his grandmother loved that name for animals and we always had to name our animals Sid whenever we got a new one.. she would ask us to name it Sid, so we stuck with tradition) Sid became attached to Papa Bear and Papa Bear to Sid. So it was devastating when we came home and he wasn't here. We have posted pictures and looked everywhere for him. I still find myself looking for him. I even have dreams about him still, him coming home. We can't figure out what happened to him... he was always dedicated to staying put on the porch waiting to be fed... that is all he cared about sleeping and eating. He loved to hang around Papa Bear and watch him at whatever he was doing. And when Papa Bear laid down at night Sid was right there on him in his special place with Papa Bear holding him with one arm. He made sure Papa Bear had that arm positioned just right too.

We realize tom cats take little trips for a couple of weeks but this has been over 6 months and we don't feel like he would leave like that for so long. He was too lazy to go very far. The other two cats have stayed also. We have a bad feeling about him being missing. It breaks our hearts to know he probably will never come back. Some people may think it is silly to get so attached to a cat but we love our animals, especially these three kittys.

We were just thinking about him today and I thought I would write about him because he was so precious. Maybe one day he will come back to us, at least we hope. Posted by Picasa

Mom and Dad at New Orleans

This is my mom and dad. In February they took a trip with my dad's brother and his wife to visit my uncle and aunt's son and his wife and kids. My uncle's son (my cousin) lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While on the trip they decided to tour New Orleans. This is a picture of them at New Orleans on the famous Bourbon Street. This is just one of many trips that they have taken. They went to Florida to just say they had been in it also and plan on going back to see the ocean, which they have never seen before. Oh would I love to be there to see their faces. They was amased by the Missippi river and all the sites.

I was so happy that my parents got to go on this trip because they surely do deserve this. They have worked hard, my dad as a farmer along with my mom who helped in the tobacco feilds also. They worked very hard and raised 5 kids on top of raising acres and acres of tobacco, corn, cattle, pigs etc... Mom even had to take care of the house along with working in the feilds. They were hard workers and never did go on a trip anywhere unless it was maybe every 5 years to Ohio or Indiana to visit relatives. In fact, we hardly ever went to town! We were happy though and very close. That is another story though, (my childhood) I will write more about that another time.
About their trips... Like I said, they never did travel much until maybe just last year. They took a trip with my aunt and uncle to look at the beautiful fall colors in the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia and traveled up into Pennsylvania, Maryland, etc.... They were so excited and so was I. I couldn't beleive after all these years they had finally decided to do something for themselves and enjoy life and our beautiful country we live in. Although Kentucky is a beautiful state there are lots of others too. I think they are beginning to enjoy this and look forward to trips again in the future. They are already planning more trips! Isn't that great?!!! I worry about them when they are gone (like a parent) *VBS* just as they do me and my family when we areout traveling but I am so glad they are enjoying life and each other. They have so many stories to tell about their trips and lots are very funny. So, here's to you Mom and Dad enjoy your life!!!!! I love you two very much.Hopefully someday we can travel with you guys, that would be great. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Buzz Lightyear!

How about this picture? This was taken at Walt Disney World also. We had a blast on this ride, the Buzz Lightyear ride. As you can see Baby Bear and Brother Bear had a blast shooting at the enemies and targets throughout the ride. You got points for hitting your targets and enemies. I can't count how many times we rode this ride because we loved it so much. We had passes where we could go in a different line and go ahead of everyone so we didn't have to wait so that was why we could ride so many times.

I have this picture in my living room where I can see it all the time because I love it so much it makes me happy. Posted by Picasa

A Magical Place


A magical place indeed! We were sitting here today and Papa Bear and I were talking about trips we have taken. We began to remember our trip to Walt Disney World In Florida. A happy memory indeed... and a smile came to my face and I decided I would write about this trip. It has always been a life long dream of mine to go to Walt Disney World along with dreaming with my kids and hubby. Papa Bear had already been as a child but has always dreamed of taking us one day.
So, 2 years ago we took our dream trip. We stayed a week in Orlando Florida and had tickets to go to Walt Disney World for a day and Universal Studios for a day. We were so excited. The other days we planned on traveling along the coast and enjoying the beaches of the Florida coast, which we did. We found one festival at the beach where they had built a castle out of sand, how neat! Not only did the kids have fun but Papa Bear and I felt like kids again too. It sure does bring out the kid in you. We liked it so much we want to go back again some day. Above are pictures of Brother Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear . The next picture is Brother Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear standing in front of It's a small world, which was my dream to see but it was closed for repairs. Next time, if there is a next time, I will see this. Baby Bear and myself even waited in line for at least 30 minutes to see Mickey Mouse and get a picture with him. This will be a memory we will always cherish. Posted by Picasa

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Meet The Family

Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear, and Brother Bear

Friday, March 03, 2006

Birthday humor

I had made Papa Bear a card, front shown here, it was not intended to be funny but ended up being hillarious. I had laid it out on Papa Bear's table for him to read. In the meantime, I went to pick Baby Bear up from school and when we came back home we went in and I showed the card to Baby Bear that I had made from my card program. Well.... Baby Bear read the following paragraph and said "Huh?" I then realized that I had left part of the saying out. We had a good chuckle out of this. The saying read:
I love you more today but not as much as tomorrow.

It should have read: I love your more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow. (When Papa Bear and I started dating I had gotten him a necklace that had this inscribed in it). Baby Bear kidded Papa Bear that he better get all the love he could today on his birthday because he wasn't going to be loved as much tomorrow. We all got a laugh out of this last night at dinner. And I am sure I won't live it down by Papa Bear and Baby Bear. It will be a memory we will never forget and we can laugh about it each time. Posted by Picasa

Birthday fun


Baby Bear is anxiously awaiting a peice of Papa Bear's birthday cake. And below is Grandma and Grandpa Bear at Outback Steakhouse enjoying their meal. Grandma and Grandpa Bear I hope you don't mind me posting this picture but you two take such nice photographs and I just had to show this one. VBS Posted by Picasa