This Gave Me Goosebumps!

This gave me goosebumps. I loved hearing these little girls sing with their pure voices the national anthem. I almost cried it was so beautiful.

Turn down my playlist so you can hear it loud and clear.

Activities at the Woods: July 2010

I went down to Raleigh, NC to visit the Wood's last week. I was going to see one of their swim meets and see Evie start kindergarten. Lindsay had been there the week before babysitting while Chelsea was in NYC with Dana for their anniversary. She took pictures of Chloe and Felix and of their trek to Chick-fl-a Cow Appreciation" day. She took Evie at lunch and returned with all the kids for dinner. A girl after my own heart. Aunt Lindsay is awesome.

Evie started school the next week after the kids went back to their new grades after track-out. They do a cool thing there...staggered admission each day in kindergarten. They send only 4-5 students the first 4 days and then the teacher really gets to know the kids and can access what group they need to be in, etc. They go to all day kindergarten there like we did in Alabama. Then they all come on Friday at the end of the week. Evie and I practiced what she would say to the teacher on her first day. I said" If the teacher asks you if you can count to 10, what will you say?" She said " Yes I can..but I can also count to 100." So the teacher did ask and she did count to 100. She also took a nap on her towel and actually went to sleep her first day. Just like Uncle Clayton who had a nap everyday in kindergarten and came home singing of the bus. They got on the bus at 6:45 am. But Uncle Denton was in 3rd grade and could hardly stay awake during dinner..sometimes falling asleep right into his food. Evie said several of the kids in her class cried sometime during the day but she didn't. I wasn't surprised..she is very well adjusted and independent just like her mom.

I had a good time......ate at Le Farms( French) with Chelsea 2 days in a row for lunch. It is our favorite place for lunch. Everything is homemade and delicious.

They need to expand to other cities but I think the owner is very hands on and reluctant to let it out of his hands. They have a bakery to die for. .....and yummy samples everyday.

It was fun to see the swim meet. Chloe and Felix are really good swimmers. I almost cried when Evie went off the diving board. She just learned to swim in the deep end and is already on the swim team. She looked so little up there but she did great. She even taught one of her friends to swim in the deep end ( and the friend took her to ice cream to say thank you) . I got to meet Chelsea's new friend ( Nellie) whom she adores. She has 5 kids and several that line up with Chelsea's kids.

It was a quick trip but a good time was had by all. These are some of the pictures of all the events.

A Fun Summer Table

This looks like a table I would love to set. And pretty

easy to do. So set your table in a fun and colorful way for

summer and surprise your family when they show up for

dinner. The only thing I would add is place cards and

maybe a paper with each family members name on it and a

list of what you love about them.I would love to come to

dinner and find that and something like this.

I should have been Suzie Semi-Homemade on the

Food Network.I think I missed my calling. Keep it

sweet, keep it simple, and keep it semi-homemade.

A good thought for "Freedom" month.

Ronald Reagan said, "Freedom is never more than one generation from distinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same, or one day, we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in thee United States where men were free."

We must do what we can to keep America the place it was meant to be.

Cow Appreciation Day

Every year Chick-Fil-A has cow apprecaition day......dress like a cow and you get a free meal. I am not embarrassed to say ( which I really kind of am) I went twice on Friday. Once with my girlfriend for lunch and then again with Greg for dinner. I had planned to meet my friend for mexican but at the last minute, we decided to save a few bucks. It runs in the family. Lindsay when twicw with Chelsea's kids in NC while she was babysitting. I saw several peope I know in there...so I knew I was cool. I think Clayton may have even gone in DC. It is such a fun tradition they have. All you have to do is print stuff off the internet, cut it out and put it on. Or you can even get ready made stuff in the store...like the hat I am modeling in the picture. I guess I saved at least $20 on Friday. Although I may not have eaten out 2x's in one day. And the funy thing was, I had fries twice and lost a half a pound when I weighed myself on Saturday. Go figure.

Anyway... it was fun and I thought I should document t for my posterity. :)

Make Bookmarks from Cards.

I got an idea this year. I received the cutest card from a friend for my birthday I hated to store it or throw it away ( which I never do anyway). It was just too cute. So I decided to make a bookmark out of it. I put favorite quote on the back with a message she sent me the card and got it laminated to use as a bookmark. I always need bookmarks for so many things. It would be fun to have a bowl or basket of them you coud grab to use when you needed one.

Just a "Suzie" practical idea. Enjoy!

How Cute are These? Pretzel Sparklers

Like most sparklers, these are extinguished after a short while -- with several large bites. To make two dozen, place 4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted; remove from heat. Using a pastry brush, coat the upper third of each pretzel rod in chocolate. Cover with sprinkles; stand pretzels upright in a glass. Place in the refrigerator until firm, about 5 minutes.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Pretzel Sparklers and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

Happy 57th Birthday to Me! July 4th 2010

I had Greg take this one to show more of my shirt and necklace but he didin't tell me my lipstick smeared.....men....he didn't even notice. Can you believe it?

It is not easy taking a picture of yourself. I wanted to get my "flashing star necklace" that Tamara gave me this year in the picture as well as my 4th of July shirt I wear every year on the 4th. I have so much 4th of July garb...I could have chosen 1 of 5 purses today and a host of different jewelry. Scary, I know. I may have to have Greg take another picture of me when he gets home.

We are going to a party at a friend's house today on July 3 and then I will be watching the fireworks on HD TV on the 4th ( Capitol 4th in DC) again this year. Last year I finally made peace with the fact that no one wants to go watch "live" fireworks" with me anymore. My family usually complains about the weather and the crowds and whatever. Where is my dad when I need him? He always made sure we either did fireworks at home ( he worked the Rotary fireworks stand in the am every year) or we went somewhere grand. I was 5 years old when I finally realized the fireworks were for the 4th of July not just my birthday. It might explain few things about me. How Un-American of this Romans family. They tell me I can't guilt them into it just because it is my birthday. Oh well.....no respect :) My kids all have their own plans now anyway. But I enjoyed watching Aretha last year in my air conditioning with a diet pepsi with crushed ice and rocking out all by myself in my family room ( tragic I know) It was like I was sitting in the front row. This year Gladys Knight will be there. I am looking forward to it. The fireworks actually look great on these new flat screens. I just sit and reminisce about all the cool places I have seen live fireworks in my life. It would probably be hard to go somewhere with my bad knee anyway. I am turing into my grandma ( sort of).

Lindsay just reminded me that she/Regan were with me watching TV last year. I guess I am turning into my grandma...but at a much earlier age. I know I DVR'd it and watched it again . That must have been when I was by myself rocking out. Memories...if you can't remember them you just make them up. Heaven help me:)

I have had a fun birthday so far..... celebrating since Father's Day. I have been opening gifts, receiving cards, going out to eat with friends, talking on the phone and all kinds of things for a couple of weeks now. I have a great family and great friends who do many special things to remember me. I am lucky indeed.

For the first time in 37 years, I couldn't get out my 4th of July decorations this year because of my bad knee. Hopefully it will be fixed next year and I can go hog wild. No interventions please.

But I still have my patriotic spirit. God Bless America, land that I love.

Me and my 2 brothers..can you see a resemblance?

Suzie: July 4. 1953
Steve : May 23. 1951
Jim: March 14, 1950

I found these pictures of my 2 brothers on facebook today. My oldest brother, John, died at 37...I wonder what he would look like in 2010? I can't really see any resemblance between us. We were 4 kids in 5 years. I am 57, they are 59 and 60. Johnny would have been almost 62. I guess I should get out any old pictures I can find to see if we look like anyone in our family tree. I think my brother Jim looks like our biological grandfather who we never knew. And maybe a little like our grandpa Sodergren, my dad's dad. We don't look like our baby pictures, as far as I can tell. I am not sure who I look like....a little like my mom with my dad's coloring. And Steve I am not sure about. I see a little of everybody in him. And I see a little of them all in my kids. Weird.

We are going to be a Grandparents Again

Our daughter Chelsea is expectnig her 4th child in December. We are so excited for her and pray all will go well. It will be our 12th grandchild. Her oldest will be turning 10...whch is how old she was when Lindsay was born. We are truly blessed. Will let you know if it is a boy or a gril in a few months. We currently have 6 girls and 5 boys. We need another boy to make it even but will be so happy with a happy healthy baby and mommy.