Has it been so long since she played with my son, since I helped potty-train her, or heard one of her stories in her little girl voice? Now she's getting married! ... Read More

The world is a rose; smell it and pass it to your friends. Persian Proverb Petra and Leoni sent me flowers for my birthday... Between mother's day and my birthday, my room has never looked so cheery! ... Read More

From Politico Telecom executive Donald H. Gips raised a big bundle of cash to help finance his friend Barack Obama’s run for the presidency. Gips, a vice president of Colorado-based Level 3 Communications, delivered more than $500,000 in contributions for the Obama war chest, while two other company executives collected at least $150,000 more. After the election, Gips was put in charge of hiring in the Obama White House, helping to place loyalists and fundraisers in many key positions. ... Read More

Today we met for the rehearsal for the wedding. It was rather emotional seeing Miquel with all his friends (weren't they all just at our house yesterday swimming, playing video games, and having band practice?) and now Miquel is getting married. It was interesting, Donna, one of the directors asked me, which of these fellas do you want to walk you down the aisle, and I said, looking all these familiar faces over, "It doesn't matter, they've all been a lot of ... Read More

Yesterday we celebrated Laura's birthday. Heather and Chris arrived first. Then, Miquel and Enric get this wild idea. Since technically the addition hasn't yet  been approved for living in, and things have been left undone and could be for awhile, why not get the ping pong table from the barn and set it up ? And they did. ... Read More

I don't know how I got on the subject of my friend Kiko to John Fieck, who stayed in our home this weekend, but I next heard Miranda ask, "Who is Kiko? I never heard you mention him before." So the next thing I know, I am telling her of Kiko. It was fun trying to remember everything. One of my Spanish students dared me to enter a chat room in Yahoo, not just any chat room, a Spanish chat room. I ... Read More

It doesn't seem that long ago we went to Rams Head to see Todd Rundgren. Imagine how it felt to see my own son and his band playing there! Last night was such a time. The band right before they were about to play. It was nice to have good lighting on the drummer for a change. Simeon Ryan Ben Doug Miquel Group Shot It's nice when all your friends show up to support you... Even Cameron made it! I took nearly 1000 photos last night. I have weeded out 200, so I ... Read More

All under $20! Frosty Winter Friends Throw This warm and comfy throw is designed by the renowned artist Sandra Kuck. Gives your home a dash of old fashioned fun. Polyester fleece trimmed with cranberry red. Machine wash. Imported. 51" x 63". Christmas Memories Throw Designed by renowned artist Sandra Kuck, this fleece throw features a heartwarming vignette of brother & sister reading by the Christmas tree. Add a feeling of warmth and create an instant yuletide atmosphere just by tossing it casually over an ... Read More

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made by the friends whom we choose." ~ Tehyi Hsieh   ... Read More

"A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen."  ~Edward de Bono  This must be my week for people in my past to contact me. If these things come in threes, this could get interesting. It's funny how I've often been told how even though we might not speak for awhile, reuniting and picking up where we left off is so easy. I am glad for that.   "I have memories - but only a fool stores his past in ... Read More

  I haven't posted in a few days...and my mind sure has been all over the place.   It seems like everyone I know or talk to is sick. Our family was hit early this year and for Laura, it hasn't seemed to have subsided. Not too long ago our pastor, between coughs--his and everyone else's--said he had actually considered shutting the church doors down for a week, allowing everyone time to REST and HEAL. That was a while ago. Last night my ... Read More

  I like to try new things, so, this will be an experiement. You might see something like the following when you post a comment to this blog. There are a few posts in my blog that seem to have created some discussion, and I feel rather sorry for those really deep into some questions having to hunt the old post down to continue, or never finding the discussion again at all. So, I have created "Barb & Friends" Forum The discussions so far were blogs ... Read More

This is a typical scene at any given day or night at our house. The usual suspects (Miquel, Laura, Andrew, Mike and Ross) Plus Anna (Left) ... Read More

My children seem to have been blessed with a mom who doesn't just believe in a birthday "day'. It always somehow stretches into a "birthday month". They don't seem to be complaining. The first celebration Miquel had for turning 16 was basically just the family. Yesterday, we invited a few dozen of his friends for a 'real' party. Some family came, and that was wonderful to have his cousins here. Mike and Steve spent the night prior to party day, and they ... Read More