I feel like I haven’t been very bloggy this week. It’s been busier than usual I guess. Monday I stayed home all day, but cleaned and cleaned. I even took the cushion covers off the couch in the den and washed them. It was harder putting them back on but it sure looks fresh and clean. I also spent a lot of time in Emelia’s room, going through all her clothes. I got rid of so much stuff. Tuesday afternoon I had lunch with Miki, we went to City Bites and Hobby Lobby. Yesterday I had a bunch of paperwork to get done and even got up at 5 a.m. this morning to finish.

Isabelle had a good day at school today. She spent time with Melanie (VT) and Niecie. Niecie said she repeatedly responded to their instructions and smiled a lot at school. While she was in school I had lunch with my brother and then ran a couple of errands.

The diet is still going good. I have lost about 16.5 pounds now. I am excited to get to 20!

Matt and I have been asked to teach at our new church. He will be teaching the junior high boys, and I’ll be teaching the junior high girls. It’s going to make Sunday mornings a challenge for me, but I guess I’m always up for a challenge. It took a few days for me to decide and give an answer because I wasn’t sure I could do it now, but today I told them yes. Matt loves teaching that age so he’s excited about it.

I (it was actually addressed to Annie and Isabelle) got a cuddly critter in the mail today. It’s a pink poodle and really cute. The problem is that the card in the box is for a different person. I think they mixed up the cards so I don’t know who sent it. It says to Abby Jo, I guess I’ll call the company tomorrow and see if they can tell me who sent it and let them know I got someone elses little note. I mostly want to be able to thank whoever sent it!

Have you heard of the phone called Jitterbug that is aimed at seniors? I think it would come in handy for Mom, who sometimes doesn’t hear her phone, or for dad who has trouble reading the little numbers on his phone… There are a few different models to choose from. There is one that has only three buttons on it for emergency calls. There is also a model that has all the numbers but they are just bigger than the usual numbers on a cell phone. The service plans for the Jitterbug start at $20.00 a month and go up to around $80.00 depending on how many minutes you will use. There are also plans for people who only want the phone for emergencies. The phones themselves are $147.00. Matt’s grandmothers have both passed, but I know they would have benefited for a phone like this several years ago. There is a lanyard available as an accessory so you can actually wear the phone around your neck. It would be really nice for an elderly person who lives alone. They would have access to medical help or emergency care at all times. Do you know anyone who would benefit from having a Jitterbug phone?

I’m glad it’s Friday!

This weekend should be fairly quiet…

I have to do Lorenzo’s sisters (2) hair and makeup for prom…

Have you ever been to Orange, Texas?
Since the publication of the book Lost Horizon in 1933, the term “Shangri La” has represented a place of beauty, peace and enlightenment. In Orange, Texas, a modern Shangri La has been recreated with the best of both nature and gardens.

Nestled within 252 acres in the heart of Orange, Texas, Shangri La Gardens and Nature Center is a program of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve and enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas and encourage and assist education. The unique ecosystem of Shangri La presents an ideal opportunity to further that mission as well as carry on the vision of H.J Lutcher Stark, the man who originally developed it more than 60 years ago.

The formal Botanical Gardens contain more than 300 plant species in five formal “rooms” as well as four sculpture “rooms.” Adjacent to the Botanical Gardens is a bird blind which allows visitors to observe nesting birds in Shangri La’s heronry.

The Nature Center includes a hands-on exhibit called the Nature Discovery Center, a laboratory, and three outdoor classrooms located deep in the cypress swamp. The Orientation Center includes an Exhibit Hall, Discovery Theater, Children’s Garden, Exhibition Greenhouses, Café, and Garden Store.

Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first project in Texas and the 50^th project in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures.

As one of the most earth-friendly projects in the world, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature. The combination of gardens and nature at Shangri La presents a serene oasis for retreat and renewal, as well as the opportunity to explore, discover and learn.

Visit Shangri La and rekindle your sense of wonder.