Highs and More Highs and a Low for the Week

Our family regularly sits around the dinner table and shares what has been a high for the day and a low for the day. The rule is that you have to have a high (there is always something to be thankful for in a day), but you don't have to have a low.

So here are the things that have made my heart soar and given me a chuckle and smile this week:

**Ashlyn is an official Clovis North High badminton player. She was so cute this week, or was it last week, when she jumped in the car after school and said, "Mom, you are going to die, I am going to play badminton as a sport." I can't wait for her first game! I think it will be "great fun" to watch.

**Julianne sat in bed with me last night and we watched "Super Nanny", which is a show about children who need a little and at times a lot of love and discipline. She said, "Mom, you and Dad are the perfect parents...you discipline us, but aren't too strict and you let us have fun." Now, I am sure I don't have to break it to you...we are so far from perfect, but to hear my 13 year old daughter share that with me did give me warm fuzzies and thankful that we have a sweet relationship with her. Shall I remind her that she told me that when she doesn't like something I have asked her to do?

**Brian challenged me today! I love when he does that. Definitely a high! I am teaching in a little over a week on "covenant" and I bounced downstairs and shared with him how much I am learning and-- how in the world am I going to fit it all in 45 minutes. He wisely said, "Keep it simple. Give me one sentence on what you are trying to get across." He sharpens me...I think I have my sentence...is it ok to use three semi-colons in a sentence? I haven't told him the sentence yet.

**I loved hearing Kylen play with Legos in his room today and yesterday. Can you picture his hand filing through his Lego bin trying to find the right piece? I love his creative mind. It still blows me away that he will make an elaborate Lego masterpiece only to break it apart when he is satisfied that it is complete.

**Melody shopped for "Taco Tuesday on Thursday". What a blessing!

**I am thankful the Lord was so evident in how He orchestrated some time with a neighbor this week and witnessed her hunger for the Word.

I am trying to think of a low...the only thing that comes to mind is that Charlie, our outside cat, has a permanant kitty cold that has lasted three months. This week he sneezed on me more than once and yellow boogies sprayed.

It has been a great week...I have a lot more highs than I stated, but would love to hear some of your highs and lows...Will you share them with the Downs clan?

Winding Down

10 days at Disneyworld is quite a bit to take in. In fact our son awoke to discover the ill effects of several days of lack of sleep, walking half marathons, subjecting one's body to countless motion simulations, and a diet compliled with any food item with a sugar content greater than 50%.

It's 4PM and we're just getting to the park today - Happiest place on earth!

The entire Downs party. If you count them there is 16. But if you asked us, there was 17...? 15 needed tickets but we bought 16 non-refundable...?

Yvonne always felt safer holding on with one hand. Of course she couldn't hold on with two - one you have to wave at everyone with...

That's my bride... she's been craving a turkey leg all day. I just backed away after taking this picture.

Disneyworld fireworks. 15 mintues of eye wonder for 60 minutes of feeling like cattle trying to get out of the park...moo.

Mid-Trip Maddness

Just for a clarification (again) I (Brian) have been writing these posts. (seems Yvonne would like to see this disclaimer each time I use her account) However now that I finally remembered my login info - I can post them under my own name and can disregard all the loopholes and preapprovement that has been going on... (OK, sorry, that isn't true - I love you honey!)

Ok here is the condensed versions of the days I have missed.

Each day we seem to be getting up later and later. In fact I'm not sure that Ashlyn ever woke up until about her 2nd time on Space Mountain...

We spent another day at Animal Kingdom (now with the entire Downs posse) It was finally warmer and finally feeling more like Florida. I always find it fun to go to some sort of animal reserve and "observe" natural settings... Like this Hippo being surrounded by vultures... each of them telling the other one, "No, you poke it and see if it's dead."


We also had another Walmart experience... According to the check out gal, they do open all 31 lanes on Sundays. We'll have to keep that in mind. I've also decided stores which install "self checkout" lanes need to be required by law to require an IQ check before allowing anyone to use these machines...I'll leave it at that.

Yep, I have these 3 women in my house... continue to pray for me.

The three cousins practicing their sobriety test, I think.

Ashyln gets her looks from her mom and her stubbornness from me - go figure.

Hey Charlotte - can you spot the "spy dogs"

I was debating getting the "Aerosmith" tattoo but we can only have one person in our house with a tattoo...(it's in the lease)


Speaking of which, if you look closely you can figure out who this Florida greeting is to.

Hopefully you can wish for something awful or painful will happen to the Downs family so that I can post something else to fill your time tomorrow. If not, why don't you watch the televised debate over the spending bill - it's very exciting!

Get Over It....

For those of you freaking out that there hasn't been a post in a couple of days...get real. I'm tired, my feet hurt, and frankly nothing really funny (at least to me) has happened. I promised Yvonne I would write something tomorrow morning. Until then, you'll have to curl up in a corner, cry, and wait.

Disney on Ice

OK, so we all thought that today would be a bit warmer...no, try 19 degrees with the wind chill this morning. But hey, it should keep the other guests away, right... yeah, right.

We hit Magic Kingdom today... And frankly I am tired of making stuff up for the day - so you'll have to get by on captions only.

The Happiest Place on Earth turned into The Coldest Place on Earth

PBJ's in the park - Hey, we haven't gotten our bail out from Obama yet.

Half of the Downs Tribe joined us for part of the day

Sure they "look" cute now...

Why yes, that is the Holy Spirit blessing from Heaven on me

For Sarah (again) Hey, go on your own vacation will ya!