Thanks For The Memories

It is another Thanksgiving, a time to reflect and realize all the blessings and memories which surround me. First I am so very thankful and blessed that the Lord is in my life day in and day out! Without Him I would not be able to accept all that has happened this past year!

I am so very blessed to have a wonderful husband he is the best even at his worst! Does that make sense? To me yes, to you perhaps not. He is my life, really, we live together, love together, worship together, work together, laugh together, share together, squabble together and survive together. He is my REAL BETTER HALF, without him I wonder if I would be. God placed him in my life at the right time.

This year has brought about many changes. We had changes in our Photography business, mainly with employees, but it has been a good change. There was a time when we needed people to work that really did their job so well, they had a great work ethic and to this day I miss them dearly and then there were those that took what they could without any work ethic, they just put in their time and took their paycheck.

We finally opened The McClure Guesthouse and it has been an experience. I am so thankful for the craftsmanship put in to the restoration and then for the help from family and dear friends in the decor and set up of each room. And once again I thank Mike for letting this dream of mine come true. And of course without my Mom and sister Kathy in dealing with the finances it really would not be. I appreciate all who helped!

A major change has been our church life. Sadly we have lost our St. Andrew's church family, but I can only hope the Lord has a much better plan for us. There is an empty church here in Olney and I believe there is a reason it has remained empty, we shall see and I shall pray and perhaps next year I will be thankful that we were able to open the church once again. It is in the Lords hands though.

I am thankful for the many friends I have in my life both near and far. Many friendships have been renewed and born this year, thanks to the Internet. And many friendships continue on, even though the friends have moved away, this too because of the Internet.

Finally, I am so very thankful for my family which includes Wards and Spieths. Parents, siblings, children and grandchildren they are all wonderful blessings and help create grand memories!

So as I look back, yes I am thankful for the memories of the past year and I am thankful for what will come in the future.

Have a wonderful, Blessed Thanksgiving!

A New Beginning With Old Time Charm

Last Saturday we had our first wedding couple spend their first night as newlyweds at The McClure Guesthouse. We were so excited for them. We also were privileged to photograph their wedding. After we finished the wedding pictures we went back to the studio and printed a couple of pictures for them, put them in frames and then went to the Guesthouse to place them around for them, along with some other little surprises. We then "pretended" to be the couple as they walked in for the first time to see if they would notice these little surprises. You may think we are crazy but it was fun to do this. On Sunday they were having a brunch and opening their gifts, with their families. Around 1 PM we received a call from the groom's sister asking if the couple could stay another night, they loved the house and since they were not leaving until Monday for their Honeymoon, they wanted one more night at the house (instead of at their parents, perhaps). This was great to hear and of course they could stay. Last evening the Groom's Mother stopped by and said that her son told her he never had appreciated "old houses" but this Home really made him realize old homes could be appreciated and enjoyed. Yeah, mission accomplished I think.

Last Friday a young man and his girlfriend were being photographed for "Christmas gifts" at the house, at the very end of the session, he asked Mike to take a picture from up on the staircase down on them leaving and Mike said sure. He took the picture and then the young man knelt down and asked the young lady to marry him! (Mike was in on this loving surprise) All of this was captured for them, keeping the memory forever. The pictures capture the love these two young people have for each other.

We look forward to sharing this Guesthouse with many in the future. Families will be staying during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. So of course there is love to be shared then. In the spring there are reservations for weddings and family parties. And there will be so many more I am sure as the word gets out.

In my June 30Th blog my vision for this home was "A Gift Of Love" from these two experiences I think it is happening! I am so glad and so excited for the Love that will come in the future. So check back as I divulge the many bits of Love as a result of The McClure Guesthouse.

If you wish to take a peak at the Guesthouse, click on the picture of Mike and I and it will take you to our web page.

THE GIFT OF FAMIILY

I am so blessed! This past weekend we celebrated my Mom's 75th birthday. It was a surprise party and we did succeed in surprising her. Of course the fibs to get to her to the venue were so involved and looking back are so funny. The expression on Mom's face when she realized that we were at a party for her is unforgettable. The love in the room as she entered was everywhere! And the family and friends in attendance was wonderful. I think the most touching moment was when she saw her sister there. And as she looked around and saw everyone else I am sure she was pleased.

As in previous posts I have discussed my great nieces and nephews, they come from great stock.

My sisters and brother are the best! Being the oldest has it's advantages and a few disadvantages.

I was most generally in charge, being the boss was fun. I never got to seek advice on how my siblings did things. I got blamed for many things. I was always the one who "should have known better"! I was able to do things first, "that is not fair" was heard often.

I have a sister who is just 10 and a half months younger than me and oh how we fought! But oh how I love and appreciate her. She is creative, generous and very loving. She is the one who is in charge now of helping Mom and a younger sister while she is experiencing medical issues. In addition she has 5 of my great nieces and nephews. Her husband is a police officer and I am sure she worries often. My next sister is 28 months younger and she is a great woman, she is truly a survivor having dealt with breast cancer. She has a wonderful husband and together they have two awesome children. She lives in Florida and how I wish she was close by. However we speak often and analyze much! Next comes my brother he is not quite 5 years younger than me but he is so much wiser in age then me. We made him suffer much when he was younger and I do not know how he can be so great to all of his sisters now. He is a great Dad and hubby and also one of my dearest friends! Nine years is between my next sister and me, she is so special to me! After high school she came and was my roomie for about 4 years. We had so many great times and I was lucky to have her with me, she, like me has never been blessed with children but she too loves her nieces and nephews. She has a neat boyfriend and unfortunately also has experienced cancer but is dealing with some changes in her life, but she too is a survivor and she surprises me often with how she reaches out. Her toast at Mom's party was wonderful! Then there is my baby sister, I was already out of the home when she was born and I often teased my Mom by saying she missed me so much, she had to replace me. This lady is so special and I am so lucky that we are close. She has 3 great kids and one angel baby in heaven watching over her. Her husband is a worker and also has two more children that live with them. Oh my what a busy house! My sister is a planner and attempts to get it done, but her daughter is the red head who is almost 4 going on 16! I wish her luck!

They all are blessings to me as is my Mother. We have our ups and downs as most families do, however in good times and bad times we are always there for each other. It might not be in person but always in spirit and love. Yes my Gift of Family is a great blessing!

SHHHH It's A Surprise....

.....Yes it is. This weekend we will be celebrating my Mom's 75th birthday. And we are having a surprise party for her at Margiano's a great Italian restaurant. Can we pull it off? I hope so, my sister and her family arrive tonight from Florida and Louisiana, my brother and his family will come in from Indiana and we are "visiting" Mom this weekend because "the McClure Guesthouse is not rented and we need to get away." Or so Mom thinks.

Coordinating this event has been an event in itself! The original plan was to have a catered party at my sisters new home in Naperville, but due to some personal events happening and our love for our sister we opted for a restaurant venue. Invitations went out and the replies came back and we will be having many of Mom's friends and family attending. Unfortunately her brother could not make it in, but her sister and sister in law will be there. And sadly my Dad's siblings can not make it because my Dad's sister passed away last week and they have gone to her funeral and to be with her children. I am certain though that along with my Dad, Mom's parents and her brother and nephew and in laws many in heaven will be in attendance there own way.

It is my responsibility to get Mom to the venue on time and without seeing anyone who may arrive late. We are having a luncheon and Mom is not a morning person; motivating her will be tough! We have given hints all week to her and if she was listening it should work. I am going to have to tell her where we are going and that we have reservations so that may help. So she does not notice familiar cars we will valet park and proceed in to the restaurant. We have to go to the party room which is on the lower level right by the elevator.

Fifteen years ago we had a surprise 130th birthday party which was the total of Mom and Dad's years, I think Mom was surprised, but Dad said he had his suspicions. It was a success, my only wish is that this could have been a surprise 160th birthday party, but Dad celebrates in Heaven now.

It will be great that we will be together for this time in Mom's life. I just hope she is surprised! Wish us luck and much fun!

Miracles and Love

Monday evening a wonderful couple received two beautiful miracles. They were blessed as I never have been blessed. Am I jealous? No I am thrilled for them! Their little girls will bless their lives and will be a part of mine through the very special relationship we have.

I have not been blessed with the miracle of God's gift of children, however I am blessed with those that share their children, my husband, sisters and brother and friends.

My dearest friend shared her three children from the beginning, our then spouses were in a band and gone all the time, so we were the "family". We went everywhere, I changed many diapers, rocked many hours, fed many bottles, read many stories and dried many tears, I was "Minnie Roo". These children are adults now and live far away, but I am aware of their achievements through their Mom. They are wonderful young adults.

I have 5 great nephews and 7 lovely nieces. They are such unique individuals. My oldest nephew Michael, is very creative, can experience life to the fullest and excels in everything! The next oldest nephew Bill, is also my Godson, he is a college graduate and served his country in Afghanistan and Iraq and now is a Captain in the US Army, a neat brother and a fine young man, I am so proud of him! Joe is the next nephew, he is my gentle giant, he is a college graduate, working on his masters. Joe is a great young man always caring and having fun. When his smile is hidden, his eyes sparkle with the smile within, yes I am blessed to have him as my nephew. Eric is a great young man, he is a Marine and served our country in Iraq. He is a Dad with a beautiful daughter and he is an achiever! I am so lucky to have him in my life. And I am proud to be his aunt. Matthew my youngest nephew is a joy, I enjoy every minute I can be with him and talk with him on the phone. He was lucky enough to begin his life living with his mom and my parents. Dad was a definite influence on Matthew and I see so much of the good Dad instilled in the values Matthew has.

Now my nieces; the oldest Samantha has been on the go since she was born, her life is so full of everything, she wants to experience it all and touches many hearts, Maggie is our Free Spirit, watch out 'cause she is going to open every door she can, I always want to grab her and hug her just to get a bit of her energy. Katie my next beautiful niece is in college with an athletic scholarship for softball, her friends and family will tell you she loves life and living! Kerri is a lovely young lady, she is going to go places and if you ever need a great friend she personifies it! Christina is a joy, a real beauty, she is Mike's Godchild, she is the youngest in her family and is also a great friend to all. I am sure her folks will watch her closely because she also will open every door and experience and achieve much. Molly oh my watch out, she is 4 going on 16 and she is a red head, need I say any more except that she too is a real sweetie! McKenna is our Ward family's baby & she is two, and with my knowledge so far of her, I find it hard to believe that there will be a "terrible two" stage but with Molly leading the way I don't know. She is a real doll though!

As I have mentioned I have shared my husbands two sons for 22 plus years. They are fine young men. Brad a college graduate, is helping in our business. I think he is a kind, smart and loving young man. He is a great asset to our business because as a family member he can nudge us into changes that outside employees almost never could, they say the Lord moves in mysterious ways and I believe this as it related to our business in the past 8 months, Brad joined us, during this time. Jeff is everything I wish I could be kind, generous, happy, loving and one great Dad and husband [well I don't want to be a Dad or husband, so I should say parent & spouse]. His sons, our grandsons are being raised right, Jeff is a hands on Dad for sure!

Now that I have written out this blog I realize that I too have Miracles and Love in my life. I must mention too Jamie & Mandy my "surrogate" daughters they are joys in my life! They too were able to nudge us in the business and ended up in our hearts. This blog began because of Jamie and her two new miracles. Clara and Anna who now join Bo and their parents, yes I am thrilled for them all!

God blesses us in so many ways, don't you agree?

In GOD We Trust.....

It is on our money, in our churches and it was at one time solidly in my heart. Yes I did say "at one time", however this changed a bit, in the past few months. Someone I trusted with my entire being and had good feelings about, broke me. They took advantage of me, my husband tells me I am an open book and easy to read, which allowed this to happen. My feelings at first were to "get even", then I decided to "just let it go" and now all I feel is much pity for them.

Trust is such a solid feeling and when it crumbles, oh my there is much debris all around!!! It is difficult to sweep it all away, to leave no reminders.

So I guess my husband is correct, however now instead of a paperback book I will become a very heavy hardcover book and not remain too open.

And yes in my heart I will always know In GOD We Trust. I thank GOD daily for helping me to renew this feeling and hope that they who tried to break me may be helped by GOD, to become who HE wants them to really be. They really do not have to watch their back because GOD is, they just need to turn around and greet and accept HIM back in to there lives, and I really hope they do!

This Is Why......

SIMPLY PUT....

.....This is one of the many reasons why I Love him.

I know I was blessed 22 years ago and there are many

affirmations daily. It amazes me just how wonderful

his nature and spirit are. As always I don't need the bit

of reminder sent my way, but I am grateful. When you

can be with someone 24/7 most generally and get along

famously you are so lucky and so blessed. I thank GOD

so very much that I am married to such a wonderful man

and I just wanted to share, he has a wonderful way of reaching

out and bringing God to me a little more every day.

Go ahead and look at his blog, my hope is it can touch you

as it does me. And you will see "This is Why..."

His Blog can be found at:

http://contendingforthefaithoncegiven.blogspot.com/

I hope you too are touched.

Thanks Mike and

Thank you so much God, I am truly blessed!

Always Keep Going!

I live on the lake with my husband, 2 labs, one chihuahua and 3 cats and lots of bugs and spiders.

There is one particularly special spider and I have named her Ms. Persistent. I meet up with her every day and I do not understand why she returns each day in the same place recreating the web that has to blow away each day that I get in my car and drive to work. When I get to work the web is gone and I imagine Ms. P is hidden away in the mirror on the driver side of my car to rest until the evening when she works really hard to start weaving her web again.

Many people do not like spiders, but thanks to one of my favorite childhood books which is "Charlotte's Web", spiders are not something that terrorize me.

Yes there are many scary looking and dangerous spiders but most are generally not a danger and they even help out by taking care of mosquitoes and perhaps other varmints that are pesty. Thankfully I learned to appreciate the good things they do when as a young girl I attended camp and lived with many spiders.

So I do not find it necessary to get rid of Ms.P, today for lunch I went to a drive up to pick up the food and low and behold she had started to spin a new web, well the gal at the drive up panicked as she handed me my drink and noted the web, I assured her it was okay as she practically threw the order at me. Obviously she did NOT LIKE spiders.

The point of this blog is that I have been thinking how I should pay attention to Ms.P's determination to continue to weave her web on my car and note that she does not give up! There are many things I want but always they seem to get blown or brushed or even swept away. Perhaps what I need to do, is to be persistent and not give up and perhaps my web will remain and if not, I'll start over once again. It is said, that if at first you do not succeed than try, try again! I guess I will and maybe I will weave a permanent web and achieve all that I want to.

I shall be Ms. P. and succeed!

Shrivels

The heat is on and the flowers and grass are shriveling. It has been a pretty good summer weather wise. But now it is heating up and the pretty flowers and lush lawns need our assistance. We can water them and this will give them a boost and we can continue to enjoy the beauty of GOD'S gift of nature for us.

Now as I get older, I wish just a drink of water could revitalize one from shriveling and withering. I know we are told to drink water to keep us going, but what I mean is that will it make us straighter and bring back the beauty we had when we were younger? Wouldn't that be grand!

Shrivels is an odd word, don't you agree? But it is very descriptive! The main thing about shriveling is eventually death comes. It is important that we keep watered, it can be by actually water or other sustenance. Most importantly is the nourishment we can get from God, it can be from THE WORD, our actions with others and giving our very best in all that we do.

These things that I mention will make us revitalized and slow down the withering and shriveling. I know I will stand tall and continue on if I do read THE WORD, love my fellow man and attempt to do my best in everything. I have started to shrivel lately and I now realize it is time to continue on as GOD wants me too. I will be nourished with GOD'S Word, reaching out to others and doing my best! Try it, you too may like it!

You Are Invited!

See us on the web at:

www.mcclureguesthouse.com

WHAT HAPPENED?

Sometimes do you look in the mirror and think, oh my, what happened? Or sometimes do you think about something very sad and think, oh my, what happened? Sometimes do you get really, really mad and then when it is all said and done, feelings are hurt, friendships damaged or even families ripped apart do you turn around and think, oh my, what happened? Sometimes do things go on in your life that can change your whole reason for living and you think, oh my, what happened?

The saying "Think before you act" should hold true in most of these instances. I guess I am really going to put that statement into action and then I will be able to say I am so glad that happened!

So to all my friends and family I will say "Try it, you may just like it" and you know I believe our lives will improve!

Moving On

Our "Surrogate Spieth Daughter" is moving on from Olney this week. And we will sorely miss her. She has been an important part of our lives for the last 11 years. My how time flies! She entered our lives as a candidate for the RC Fair Queen the summer before her Senior year in high school. Then she had us take her Senior pictures and Mike had an instant liking, especially when she "talked" about her passion for President Regan and the Republican Party. Then we asked her to work for us and she came to work for us through the work study program at school. I had to grade her and always gave her the best grade. She tolerated coming into a business where we actually had adult "mean girls" that tried to get her out, and it did not work, the three of us were able to blow them off. Jealousy is an AWFUL emotion for sure! And very difficult for a teen to have to deal with, when there was no real reason. She continued to work for us weekends when she went to college...thank goodness and also introduced us to her great friend who also became a wonderful employee thus the "SPIETH DAUGHTERS" were born! Her birthday appropriately is on the Fourth Of July as she is a little firecracker! And since the summer of 1999 we have celebrated with her. Last year was an exception as we had to photograph the wedding of another "daughter" in Pennsylvania. [She tried to come, but found it to be difficult with an 8 month old son.]

The summer of 2001 she tried for the RC Fair Queen again and got First Runner Up this was enough ammo to try a third time and thus in 2002 she became Queen. Mind you Mike made any girl that has worked for us and tried for the crown walk many miles in their pageant shoes in our studio, so he likes to think he helped. And she took herself and her speech the "third times the charm" and competed at state and became MISS ILLINOIS COUNTY FAIR 2003. We were so proud, many people at state thought Mike was the "proud papa" just taking many pictures and you know he was, in a certain way.

At the end of her reign she was busy planning her wedding to her Knight in Shining Armor, and he is a gem. On Valentines day 2004 she became his bride in a lovely wedding at Starved Rock State Park. As their life together evolved she taught at her Alma Mater from 2003 through the first semester of the the 2009 year. They blessed their families and friends in 2007 with a wonderful son named Bo. And he is a joy!

But now their life is heading up the road on a new path. They are having twin girls in September and this week they are leaving Olney and moving to a town near where they were married. I will be selfish and say how sad I am to see them go. We have had many wonderful visits with Bo this past year and he is comfortable visitung the studio. And even though I did not see or talk with Jamie every day, I was able to drive by her home and send her my thoughts and prayers and love daily as I looked at her house knowing she most generally was tucked inside.

Moving on is a part of life and I did it back in 1972 when I came south to Mattoon and as the years passed continued south to now be in Olney. Jamie has said it is not that far away but it is, she won't be just down the road, she will be WAY UP THE ROAD. Miles between are difficult, but thru the internet and phone calls we can be in touch. I will really miss knowing she is not near, I guess she is more than a surrogate daughter.

I will miss you so very much, but I am sure you will always be a part of our life. So I won't say good bye, I will say See You Soon! And also, thanks so much for being a very important part of my life! All these memories and many others with you will be treasured forever! And I am certain there will be more.

WE ARE OPEN!

At last The McClure Guesthouse is open! We have completed the decorating and have shown it to a few potential Guests. We hosted a dinner on July 5th for The Richland County Fair Queen Contestants, their Mothers and the Pageant Committee. It went well and the ladies were happy to take the tour. As an added comment, this years contestants were a great bunch of girls and did a super job at the Pageant! And I want to Congratulate the new

Miss Richland County Fair 2009 - Malory Steber!

We will be having our Grand Opening on Sunday August 9th. The OLNEY ARTS COUNCIL will be assisting with tours of The McClure Guesthouse and an Ice Cream Social will be held on the lawn. All proceeds from the Grand Opening will benefit the Olney Arts Council. And as a Special Touch the Council Members giving the tours will be dressed in Victorian Clothing from the late 1800 era (which was when the Guesthouse was built). It will be a Step Back In Time For Sure.

The Restoration makes my dream come true, my hope is that for all that will lease this Guesthouse will feel as I did when I first stepped foot in the home, Safe, Secure and "At Home". I invite you all to come, see and feel the beauty of this "home away from home"!

Oh yes, be sure to click on the picture of the Guesthouse to go to our Website, for a few more sneak peeks of the interior.

A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words

A GIFT OF LOVE

My Mother and Father in law went home yesterday after a three week visit. Now I know that many will think OMG, THREE WEEKS, but you know I am not thinking that at all, everyday was worth it.

We had a wonderful visit and I wish it could have been longer. They had to get back home to take care of business and health appointments. As it was, we got them to stay an extra week. Many days were spent getting The McClure Guesthouse ready to open. I am soooo glad they were here to help, who would ever be able to think of everything?? In a previous blog I talked about the shopping excursion that is a memory I will always treasure. Now I feel I need to call Nancy often for her thoughts and input and I will!

The McClure Guesthouse became A GIFT OF LOVE about 3 years ago when my husband agreed that we could restore the home and have this Guesthouse. When we purchased the home in 1990 it took us 20 minutes to decide, yes! It felt like the home I always wanted and I have lived in many since I left my home in Evanston for my freshman year in college, and that has been 14 homes to be exact!

When we left our 215 home (the McClure Home) in 2003 to live in our current Cypress home I was sad, so much so that I never really moved out totally. I just could not let go. There were a few people interested in "seeing" the house and thankfully that was all, they just "saw" it nothing else. I am sure it was overwhelming to think about restoring it. But it is now a beautifully restored home.

Once again I must mention Kuenstler Construction who did the renovation with such detail and I am sure now they must have a bit of love for this old gem.

I LOVE IT! And those that have had an early peek, say the love it too.

The McClure Guesthouse will be a home full of love for all who stay here and I think it is because everyone that has been involved (even just a little bit) in the restoration, Mike, my Mom, Mike's Parents, Kathy (my sister), Brad, Jeff, Reagan, Emery & Lynden, Bobbie, Judi Lippert, Jean, Laura & John, the Kuenstler's, Jon Racklin and of course even me, put a bit of love into it, to make it what it is today.

So, welcome to all who want a unique place to stay.

This home is a Gift Of Love! And I am so glad that we can share it! We are so blessed!

An Grand Opening will be held August 9th, and we will share this Love with all who attend!

The Angels Must Be Having A Bowling Tournament

When I was small and the thunderstorms rolled in I tended to be anxious and frightened. My Dad would sooth me by stating that "God's Angels are bowling". Well this would calm me down and pay attention to the Angels game, rather than fear the storm. I assume I accepted this statement as Dad was an avid bowler. He bowled on Monday evenings and then often Mom and Dad bowled on Saturday evenings. And he loved it! So much so that as I recall, he bowled up to when he became ill with cancer. Since he "knew" about and loved bowling I just took it for granted that he "knew" the Angels were bowling.

Now that I am older I seem to have forgotten about the Angels bowling and get very nervous and once again, I do not like thunderstorms. Lately we have had way too many thunderstorms, just the other evening one was occurring and Mike, his Parents and I along with our 4.8 lb. chihuahua Rico, were sitting in the living room in the early evening as one took over. We were noting just how nervous Rico was and a loud clap came and I jumped out of the chair, everyone laughed and Rico trembled! Then they blamed me for his fear. However since the earthquake last year Rico has been very nervous at rumblings, so it really was not me that made him tremble.

As I sit here jotting this down and waiting for dawn, it is once again thundering and Rico is on my lap trembling at each "strike the Angels are making". I guess the Angels must be having one huge, lengthy bowling tournament during these past couple of weeks.

I bet, my Dad is either rooting for, no "strike" that, I bet, that he is on a team. You know, thinking this way makes me realize that, yes, the Angels are bowling and in one heck of a tournament!

You go Dad and thanks for the reminder that yes, ........................... God's Angels are bowling and You are on their team!

SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP?????

Shopping, is the great American pastime and it is what keeps this country ticking. Although at times lately, the ticking is slow, it continues and perhaps as the batteries are replaced or recharged shopping will get back on track.

For me lately, I think I am helping to recharge the batteries. Furniture, curtains, linens, bedding, dishes, pots, pans, glasses, cutlery and so much more! Whew, I can not wait to stop! Sure wish when you opened a venue such as ours, we could have had a housewarming shower, I think opening gifts would be so much more fun than shopping day in and day out. I can not believe I feel this way, but I am ready for the Guesthouse to be complete, yet I keep thinking "oh, we need this or oh, we need that".

We have tried our best to shop locally to help our community's economy, but sometimes it just is not here, thus we have made trips to many antique stores throughout the area, looking for just the right piece for this room or just the perfect picture for that room.

This evening we took a quick trip to Vincennes, for fabric for some cushions Mike's Mother, Nancy is going to help with. Mike and Jim (his Father) went with and as we walked through the store the cashier commented that our "menfolk" looked as if they were tired of shopping and yes they were!

Last Saturday Nancy and I went shopping for bedding, linens, and kitchen things. We had a blast, however Nancy did comment that spending money was getting to her, tell me about it. We laughed, when we took our carts up to the front of the store and the clerks eyes about popped out, when we asked if we could leave the full carts up front and take additional carts to fill. They asked if were we opening up a hotel and we told them "uh, yes sort of". As we continued shopping I overheard one clerk say "well, I have made my quota for the day". So glad to help!!

I am so happy that Nancy & Jim have come up from Dallas, but two weeks is not enough time. They have some pretty good ideas for bits and pieces to add to the house. And Nancy knows her antiques! They will head back home on Monday. Sunday is Father's Day and we will have the first dinner at the McClure Guesthouse. I can not wait and it will be, just one more lovely memory we have in this very special home of ours. And soon, we will share this home with many, so they too can have good memories.

The McClure Guesthouse is almost complete, we will have our Grand Opening in July. The OLNEY ARTS COUNCIL is going to help us as we host an Ice Cream Social on the Lawn along with tours and a bit of the history of the 1872 McClure Home, given by Arts Council Members. Watch for the announcement and come and make your own special step back in time, memory!

FAMILY

Family is an essential part of my life. I am blessed to have 5 great siblings. Tim is my favorite brother and KathyPattiMaureenBetsey is (are) my favorite sister(s). [How would you really choose just one to be your favorite, when they all are really special and unique to me]

I have also been blessed in my life to have 21 great aunts and uncles and 30 pretty neat cousins. Then there are 12 really wonderful nieces and nephews. And of course 4 wonderful grandparents and then my own very special parents. And in heaven now are, all of my grandparents, eight of my aunts and/or uncles, two of my cousins and my very special heavenly angel, my Dad. They reside there and watch out for all of us still here on earth. And I have no doubt that they all are in heaven!

Now to my Spieth side, besides my wonderful husband, there are two step sons,one step daughter in law, two step grandsons, two brother in laws, one sister in law and one nephew. Along with my great mother in law and father in law. The men on this side rule as you can tell! And all of these Spieth's are blessings and still here on earth.

So as you can tell Family is an essential part of my life.

But you must never (and I don't) take them for granted, because in the blink of an eye they may be gone from this earth never to be an earthly being in my life. To me it is important to reach out and touch base with them to let them know how much they mean to you! It only takes a minute and in this day and age with land lines, cell phones and Internet my family is just a "touch pad" away.

So as was a saying when I was young be sure to "reach out, just reach out and touch someone" special [a Family member, perhaps] to you today. After all Family is what you are blessed with no matter how large or small it is. And I am so very thankful for my family! I just may reach out and touch them today!

You Gotta Have FAITH!

It rained today and got chilly. I suppose that would have been okay, but this was our final day of GIRL SCOUT It's Your Planet-Save It, Day Camp. Our plans included fire safety and fire building. In addition we had an outdoor Ecology exercise planned, as well as many other outdoor activities; including a cookout.

My phone rang early this AM around 7-7:30ish and the voice said "Do you think we should cancel or postpone the event?" I had put RAIN or SHINE on the permission slip, so this was not an option.

The Girl Scouts here in Richland County have been fortunate, our city has allowed us to utilize the Musgrove property for many Scouting programs. It has a house that we use for meetings and activities, so the Day Camp was moved indoors, sort of. We were learning about Ecology today, had a craft project, songs and then the fire building/safety activity which we had out in the garage, out of the rain and wind. Around noon it became chilly and many of the girls were not prepared with coats and they were cold! So again being indoors helped. Our cookout became an indoor meal prepared by the leaders and we were lucky to have a cooker and microwave.....clearly not camping gear but if you can't pass you gotta punt! The girls were able to eat in the garage area (it is more of an attached carport) and be "outdoors" and then we began the ecology lessons and crafts.

You never know what will happen with such a big change in plans, but you "gotta have faith" that it will work out. Youngsters are very adaptable and being inside, having to take off your shoes and sit in a circle to "learn" about ecology and not being outside, experiencing the lesson did work. Playing Little Sally Walker was one game they really wanted to play, but alas it really is not an indoor game because it is so loud and needs much room. Yet they had fun, of course songs always help, and we had such fun with them, I was able to recall many songs that I had learned at camp. I was able to share them and it did not matter if I had the greatest voice, we had fun and sang loud!!

One of our leaders passed away this year and in her memory we gave the Poison Ivy Spirit Memorial Award, to a girl in each age group that really followed the Girl Scout Laws in all that we did this week; it was interesting to see how the girls worked for this, it was hard to decide just who deserved it, but we chose two good girls.

We also had a "time out" room, just in case any girl needed to get back in control and although some did have to be reigned in, not one girl sat in the time out room. My husband thought this was quite liberal of me....NOT!

Many of my friends and family are surprised I am so involved in Girl Scouts since I have no children. I love it and I love all that it means. In this day children need the "basics" that Girl Scouts can bring to them. I also want to get past the "it is not cool to be a Girl Scout" once you get in Middle School, I "Gotta Have Faith" that perhaps what I am doing may bring girls with me in Scouts through Middle & High School, some of my former "girls" have followed me and even those that have not, do still keep in touch and seem to live the Girl Scout way that has been instilled in them. Perhaps with the way things are in the world today, being a Girl Scout will help them to better the world tomorrow. And yes, I do "HAVE FAITH" that they will.

Think about this; the children today will be at the helm tomorrow and if we get involved with them in positive ways now, our world will be a better place tomorrow!

Remember "YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH"!

EXTREME MAKEOVER

Do you watch Extreme Makeover? If you do or even if you don't, the start of the new beginning is when the contractor hands over the keys and Ty yells "People let's move the furniture in" or something like that.

WELL..... yesterday that happened for us! After 30 long months of renovation with much capital invested..... YES, we can begin "icing this cake".

I can not tell you how pleased we are with the quality of the work done by Kuenstler Construction, they researched and created as much as possible a restored, beautiful, "new" 1872 Italianate Victorian home. They should be very proud of what they have done!

It is now our responsibility to furnish and decorate this home as much as possible to that era in time. Of course there are modern updates, we will have a 50 gallon hot water heater, not a 5 gallon one; there will be electric lights, not gas, (although during the renovation the gas lines were located), there will be air conditioning and gas heat. Water pressure will be the best the city of Olney can provide, there are modern appliances in the kitchen and there are two full baths, TV and the Internet.

I believe we have created a home that you will be able to step back in time and enjoy, with modern day conveniences. We hope that our community will be glad we have preserved a bit of history and utilize it for overnight guests, and for functions. It is our pleasure to share it and open it to the public.

Oh my, it sure has been something to search these past few months for the many "old" furnishings we will put into the home. Yes, some will be authentic and some replicas but we are wanting to create a home that will be quite a bit as it was in the late 19Th Century.

Sometime soon we will reintroduce this home to Olney with a Victorian Tea Party, tours of the home and a power point of the renovation will be available at this function. In the future it is our intention, that we will have special events for the public such as tea parties and old time Ice cream socials as well as additional events for the community to enjoy.

We are excited with our EXTREME MAKEOVER and hope the community of Olney is too! Come and "Step back in time" when you did not have to live a constant "hustle bustle" life, where you could sit on the porch, enjoy a glass of lemonade, watch the world around you and enjoy all the gifts and blessings that you have been given. We are blessed and want to share these blessings!

Just Listen and Watch.....

I love to wake up early and just listen and watch as the day begins. The hush of night comes alive as the light breaks. We live on the lake and it is wonderful to begin my day here. Our living room is situated with windows on the east and the sun porch on the west. The lake is open on the west and through the fence row on the east. First, the hush is broken by frogs and other creature noises, then as the dawn breaks, oh my, the many beautiful songs of the birds begin. Robins, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, red winged blackbirds, finches and many other types sing with joy as the day begins. Even woodpeckers break the silence. We have two woodpeckers close by and this year they have moved from the east side to the west side. And of course there are the geese and ducks sometimes quite noisy but as the spring turns to summer they are not as prominent, probably many have headed north.

As the sun rises the beauty of God's creation is revealed, the ripples on the lake, the dew drops on the leaves and grass, the beauty as the sun touches the tree tops, how can you have a bad day with such a lovely beginning? Even on cloudy mornings there is much beauty, in the spring, it is lush here and full of life with so much to appreciate. Yes, I thank God every day for this gift, just how can I have a bad day?

The McClure Guesthouse is about to be complete, as we walked through Thursday evening I looked at Mike and asked if he would move back in to our beautiful Victorian and he shook his head yes. But today as I sit here; I think that I do really love starting my days here in the natural beauty God created for us. So, I will share our beautiful vintage Victorian as a Guesthouse, with those who wish to step back in time for a moment.

I recommend that if you ever get the chance, don't sleep in, start your day with God's early morning gift, the beauty and sounds of nature.

SMILEY-GRUMPY-DOPEY

Words, descriptions, characters the above are all of these. Today they describe me and perhaps always are akin to me.

Smiles are essential in my line of business, in my attitude to the world, in my answer to unhappiness and "just because" I don't want too many wisdom lines (my name for wrinkles).

I hate to be Grumpy, but as many know, I can be and so can you, we all have "bad" moments and then it makes us this way, but experience a Smile during this time and voila being Grumpy can disappear!

Oh yes, I can feel really Dopey at times. And I am sure this is a way many of us have felt, however as a result of this I can feel Grumpy or I can Smile and it makes my Dopiness seem more acceptable.

I love the 7 Dwarfs and relate to them daily, as I am sure many of us do.

So don't be Bashful just ask Doc as you are being Sneezy, why you feel Grumpy and Dopey, perhaps he will advise that this is why you are Sleepy but take a nap and then you will be Happy.

Oh yes, and by the way SMILEY is my private dwarf, an essential part of my life. After all note my blog title. Hope this makes you Smile!!

It really is a SMALL WORLD!

When I was young, Europe, Africa and even Alaska were so very far away from my place in the "burbs" of Chicago. We learned about the "Wide World" from bits and pieces on the news at night or in the newspapers. Encyclopedias were important as well as the library to seek out countries in South America, info about the Arctic and even about New York or Washington DC. Now at the flick of a button we can really experience all of these pieces of the world via the Internet. I wonder now how it is for school children to really learn about the mysteries of these countries and places when it is so "easy" to "check it out". No more mystery and excitement of discovery, "just Google" it and there it is. Can you imagine what our world would have been like if Christopher Columbus "just Googled" our continent. Or the Pilgrims "just googled" the new world and decided "not for us". Part of the experience of learning for me, was always the search for the right information for the project I was working on, and I learned so much more with this way of searching versus "googling", because along the way different paths of information were there for my learning and discovery. Now children "google" and find ONLY the info they need, how sad.....and now yes, I do believe that it will be for them "a small world" because with the Internet, exact information is stored right there, and it can be limited to just what you want to know, no extra avenues or paths to experience and learn about [unless you "google" more], how sad for students these days and so very easy and small. Yes it is a "small world" don't you agree?