Feeling guilty at Yankee's stadium.

Luke would have loved to go to a Yankee's game. It was really great to see the new stadium and all the players that even I know. A-Rod even hit a home run!!! Jacqulin and I had a hot dog and fries and shopped for Luke and Bert gifts. The stadium is beautiful but the Yankee's lost that night.

Guess what? Public schools in NYC don't have air conditioning.

See, it's my "happy face" again! This times behind gritted teeth saying something like "wow, I thought up north it wasn't going to be 95 degrees, do I smell because I feel like I should."
Apparently, this is the hottest summer New York has seen in 20 years. That just makes me laugh. I've never been to New York in the summer and we got the full effect.


I was in charge of craft class. I think the kids had a great time. I tried to create crafts that went along with the Bible study. Monday we painted star Christmas ornaments for the birth of Jesus. Wednesday we painted pillow cases about how special we are to go with Psalm 139 - we are fearfully and wonderfully made and God knows when you sit or stand.



In the mornings we went to PS 64 for a basketball and cheerleading camp. Jacqulin taught the tumbling class. After lunch in a different PS we went to the church for art classes. We had dance, music, art, crafts, and cooking.

More fun things we did in NYC

We arrived in NYC on Saturday around lunch. We had all of Saturday free; we went to church Sunday morning and had the rest of Sunday free. We just about exhausted ourselves trying to pack all of our sight seeing into those two days.


Fresh watermelon in the middle of Times Square. What a perfect snack on such a hot day.

The 2010 New Years ball is still in place in Times Square. I don't know when they move that thing. It's was neat to see and realize that is where all the celebrating we watch on TV actually happens.


This is a picture of me putting on my "happy face." You know how it sounds a little strained whine between my teeth probably saying something like "wow, more people to wait in line with and be shoved and push by, I love New York." Smile, smile, nod, nod.



Some of the people in our group went to Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, NJ. There is a show about this bakery on TLC. Jacqulin really wanted to go but when we heard they waited in line for almost 3 hours we were glad we didn't. Thankfully, Ms. Norma brought Jacqulin a canolli. It was heavenly.


Bless her heart!!! She was trying to make her legs and feet stop hurting from all the walking. I think I should feel bad but I know she saw more of NYC in 2 days than some people see in a week.

NYC Mission Trip 2010

July 16, 2010 - July 24, 2010.


Some of the young ladies we saw sights with on Saturday. Lady liberty is in the background. An actual New Yorker took this pic for us. They are extremely nice people.

Jacqulin on the Staten Island Ferry enjoying the view of the Statue of Liberty and the breeze. NYC had record breaking heat wave while we were there.


Trinity Church is absolutely beautiful inside and out. Also the star of the movie National Treasure.

If you read this blog it appears all we did was enjoy the sights, sounds and flavors of New York City. The truth is we did enjoy the city, but we worked very hard Monday thru Friday with some beautiful children in the lower east side of Manhattan, however, we were asked not to post the children pictures on the internet. So, you will have to take my word for all the hard work. Basketball and cheerleading camps in the morning and arts and crafts camps in the afternoon. A lot of hugging and listening and teaching about Jesus. Great week.



This is one of our favorite places in NYC, Little Italy. The streets are crowded but quaint without the insanity of China town. The food was awesome and the ambiance perfect.

How I knew it was time to come home - look at this face!!! Jacqulin was beginning to enjoy the big city a little too much. She loved the subway, the busy streets, the crowds, the food, and the walking. The only thing she didn't enjoy (that I can think of) was the rats. And yes we saw them on the street just about everyday.

Luke's band plays while Jacqulin runs first 5K

May 15, 2010, the morning of Jacqulin's birthday party she ran her first 5K at Run for Kids, to benefit the Tennessee Children's Home. She ran in about 32 minutes. I'm very proud of her.



Supercharge, the band Luke is in, played for the event. It was an early morning but we had a great time.

Jacqulin turns 12 on May 12, 2010!!!

We have laughed over the years that it has never rained on Jacqulin's birthday. It didn't rain this year either. However, we planned her party for Saturday, May 15 and it rained all day. We thought we were going to have to move the party in doors. About an hour before the party was to start the sun came out and it was beautiful.




We hired a little band to play for Jacqulin and her friends. I nice bunch of boys. They looked so familiar.








We usually have a friend party and a family party. This year we invited everyone to one party. Aunt Charlotte, Uncle Mike, Alex and Amelia came from Alabama. Aunt Beverly and Uncle Larry came from Ashland City. New cousins baby Anna and baby Camille came from Cane Ridge, TN - they brought their parents with them. Papa and Bobbie came too. We had a Mexican Fiesta with chicken fajitas and all the fixings and then headed outside to hear the band play.




And then they ate CAKE.....or CUPCAKES!!!!

Our neighbor, Mrs. Kirsten, is very thoughtful and has made cupcakes for the kids on several occasions. Well, that was Jacqulin's big request, and being the sweet friend that she is Kirsten made 50 cupcakes! She made chocolate with chocolate icing and white with strawberry icing. Everyone wanted to know what gourmet bakery I got them from. They were fantastic!

The girls played games and took the opportunity to talk, and laugh and sing. I haven't heard that much giggling in a long time. What a great sound to hear.




They also took out a little turtle pinata. He didn't last very long but he was very cute!

A local weatherman stated that in all of Middle Tennessee, the city of Franklin had the greatest amount of rainfall at 17.84 inches in two days, May 1 & 2, 2010.

The good Lord protected us. Even with all this rain we received no damage, no flooding, not even standing water in our yard. Unfortunately, our city wasn't as fortunate. This mini-farm backs up to our neighborhood, about 1/2 mile from our house.

This is the old city cemetery on the west side of downtown Franklin.


This is a car dealership that sits about 1/2 mile from Jacqulin's school.


One of the fun little shoppes in downtown Franklin that backs up to the Harpeth River.


Hwy 96 is a main corridor into downtown Franklin. This is Pinkerton Park on Hwy 96. I jokingly said that Franklin now has ocean views.