Shawn, Miranda & Tyler

Being a Mom to Shawn (24), Miranda (21) and Tyler (17) has been a blessing beyond my wildest dreams!
As I told you, I played with dolls until the day my Mom brought home a real 'doll' for me to play with when I was 12 years old. I knew then and there that I couldn't wait to get married and have my own kids!


About three years after Randy and I married we gave birth to Shawn on May 30, 1982. I couldn't believe he was all ours! I was so excited to bring him home in the pale yellow blanket that his Daddy had been brought home in 28 years before. I LOVED being a stay-at-home Mommy!
Shawn was the love of our life!












Then 2 1/2 years later we brought home our precious daughter Miranda in that very same yellow blanket... she was born Nov. 23, 1984. We were elated to say the least... we had our little Deucy Lamb (as her Daddy called her)! And now I could play with dolls again! We adored her!

Tyler became a part of our family 4 1/2 years after Miranda...
born Mar. 16, 1989. I really and truly thank God EVERY day for him! Randy and I would be empty-nesters                                                
had he not come along. I LOVE being his Mom and                                        
I love his tender heart. He too, was brought home in the                                            
same blanket that his Daddy, brother and sister were brought
home in and all three wore the same sleeper that
I was given at Shawn's baby shower.



I am so thankful to have been a stay-at-home Mom for all these years. I got a job at a Christian Preschool when I moved out here to Phx and 5 years later, I put in my last day and Shawn was born two days later. Randy and I had made a decision when we got married that we would sacrifice WHATEVER for me to stay home with our kids. We may not have always had much... but nothing gave us greater peace than knowing the Lord was our Provider, that He was meeting our needs and that... well, I could stretch a buck like no other!!
But I can honestly say that there were times that I didn't handle it so well... often times fearful of the future... weary of living by faith. But the LORD was faithful... inspite of me. He blessed me with a loving, involved husband and kids that we are so proud of!
By the grace of God they are amazing kids... even though at times we didn't always feel like we were doing this parenting thing as well as we could have. I so appreciate it when Oprah says to her viewing audience that parenting is the hardest job ever! It really is...




Here they are... at their cousin Evan's wedding a couple months ago... thinking it would be funny to take the silver wedding rings decorating the tables and... to decorate their faces! (click on the pic to enlarge)

Come on, these can't be my babies!!!

29 years ago today...

I arrived in Phoenix, Arizona!!

In 1977, I was a 20 year old farm girl looking for adventure!
Linda and I sang in church the morning we embarked upon this journey of faith. We hugged our family and friends and then we hit the road. I loved traveling. I enjoyed every single mile... the breathtaking scenery AND the music on board. Linda had brought 2 cassettes... 2nd Chapter of Acts and Keith Green. I had never heard such music! It would change my life!!

Even though I had become a Christian in H.S. while watching a Billy Graham Crusade on TV... I had grown little in my faith. But I always had such a deep longing to totally live for Him in everything I did. SO when my friend Linda started talking to me about going out to Phx for a year... well, I literally thought... OK, I will take up my cross and follow Him to Phx! I would learn and grow and become equipped to come back and make a difference in my community! I also had no idea where in the heck Phx was! So a couple weeks before we left, I was looking at the weather map on the news and was shocked to discover that AZ was way, WAY out West... like touching California! Oh my!
But in all my planning, in all the good byes, I was at total peace... knowing I was doing the right thing. I had never felt more sure about anything in my entire life! God's plan was unfolding and I was along for the ride! I was expecting GREAT things!

Upon arriving in Phx, Linda stopped at Coco's, where she worked the year before, to get on the schedule. I was bubbling over with excitement, anxious to tell ANYONE that I was new in town! So I turned to the guy sitting at the counter near me and told him I had just moved here from WI! He said where in WI... I said between Black River Falls and Eau Claire... and he said HE was from Black River Falls! I went wild! He even knew my cousins! Right then and there I knew I was right where the Lord wanted me to be. This big city didn't seem quite so big and scary after all. This was home.

We immediately found a fully-furnished apartment. The next day we bought new guitars from a neat man at a music store... who would eventually be our record producer in the studio. Then while trying to find Hand in Hand, we ended up at another Sat. night concert venue where we met the guy that was in charge... we sang for him two days later... he booked us to open for Barry Maguire. It was at that concert months later that the guy that we had been trying to audition for (so we could sing at Hand in Hand) came up to us and said he'd get us on the schedule... and it was at THAT VERY FIRST Hand in Hand concert that I met Randy! Hello!! Are you getting all this!!??


That FIRST WEEK IN PHX literally set the stage... pardon the pun, but LITERALLY SET THE STAGE for me to meet my future husband at that Hand in Hand concert 6 months later! Still gives me goose-bumps after all these years!!

And the only reason Randy took our phone number that night was because Linda and I were in the studio recording and he sorta accidently asked me out so we could talk about it. Oh, and did I happen to mention that Linda and I had the same first and last name... so that when he called, he thought to ask for the Linda Larson that was not engaged... cuz yes, I would still be wondering if he got the right one! Thank God the other Linda was engaged!



So there you go... 29 years ago I set out on a journey that forever changed my life! I cannot begin to tell you all that the Lord has done in my life... oh, but wait... through blogging... I just may try!
So stay tuned for more...

my latest deals

I love a good deal... and I love a good story... so every once in a while I plan on telling you stories about my latest deals!

First off you need to know that I am all about the thrill of the hunt... I would live this way even if Randy and I were living on lots of money. Cuz shopping for 'deals' is what I LOVE to do!
I don't shop retail... I don't shop sales... I shop clearance, thrift stores, yard sales, consignment stores, IKEA 'As Is' (I'll explain that later). I enjoy shopping even if I come up empty handed. That's the key, you gotta enjoy the process of finding the deals. I find little joy in just going out and buying whatever I want. First of all I would be overwhelmed... too much to choose from. But when you shop clearance only, you have a smaller selection to choose from... not as overstimulating to the senses.
I shop year round for birthdays, Christmas, baby gifts, etc. I love finding good, quality gifts that cost a fraction of what it retails for. I will buy stocking stuffers year round... fun, special gifts that are unique to each person.
I have a huge stash of 'deals' that I can grab and wrap for most any occation.

I also love buying things at thrift stores and yard sales that I can REINVENT, RESTORE, RECYCLE, REFURBISH... REVIVE!!

I love looking at something and think... what can I do with that? What could it become? How can I give it another life? My creative juices kick in and I can hardly wait to get started!
I will buy designer clothes that end up at a Goodwill, or Savers, wherever... because of a missing button, a rip in the seam... something I can easily fix. I recently got a pair of DKNY jeans in mint condition for $2.00 because one end of the belt loop needed to be reattached. Can you believe my good fortune?!!
Now about IKEA... Randy and I have yet to put together anything that we have bought at IKEA... because we buy 'As Is' only. I know what I want... and will wait till it ends up in 'As Is'... for a fraction of the cost AND all put together! Don't you love that!

My deal of the day- went to Mervyn's for their 50% off clearance today. Didn't even know that they carried Aerobeds... well, they were clearancing the last one... they were no longer going to carry them... retailed $100.00... clearanced for $50.00 and today for $25.00!!! Randy and I had mentioned several time that we needed a Aerobed to sleep friends and family! YES!!

the dentist

Went to the dentist last week... knowing they were once again going to tell me I needed three crowns over these massive fillings I had put in decades ago. You see back then they used materials that expand and loosen over the years... and then cavities form underneath and so they need to be refilled and crowned. Notice how they are called crowns now rather than caps... does sound rather noble, even less painful. So this time I said, sure, I got nothing going today. Five hours later I was on my way home. They had done the side needing two crowns. I know this sounds creepy... that's my new word... it can mean most anything... anyway, I enjoyed the whole process. I'm serious. The three shots did not even hurt... I know, creepy.
It was just... very interesting... and blog-worthy.

Mind you, I have had nothing done outside of fillings on my teeth... and growing up, having those procedures were the most terrifying experiences of my life... just ask my siblings.
Mom would take us to this creepy, old, three-story brick building (probably only two-story, but it seemed that we were climbing stairs forever)... and we'd walk down this dark, scary, creaky, echo-y hallway with 12 foot ceilings to the dentist chambers. The waiting area was a dark and dingy, medicinal-smelling holding room... you could hear every moan and groan from the other victims (I mean, patients) going on in the other room. The dentist was this heartless, evil-looking man that hated children. You think I am being funny... I'm not... he hated kids. He would get angry and holler at us if we moved in the slightest. He was like this crazy, fuzzy headed scientist and we were his tortured labratory rats. And this is no joke, the fillings we got back then were done without a single shot of novicaine! We felt everything... it was excruciatingly painful... and he seemed to take great pleasure in drilling every exposed nerve in sight. The one and only time I did get a shot, I proceeded to unknowingly suck on my lip till the novicaine wore off... leaving me with a canker sore to beat the band!

So needless to say, last week was a walk in the park... soothing music, my favorite magazines, bright lighting, pleasant scenery, friendly faces... times have truly changed.

*** edited ~ after this was posted, my older siblings confirmed my suspicions ~ the dentist actually slapped us kids if we moved or cried.

my Pyrex collection

OK, so I thought I would add a new feature to help spice up my blog site a little.
My various collections!
Every once in a while I will be highlighting one of the many treasures that I love to collect. My motto is "if you have more than one of something, then it's a collection that I need to start collecting"! So needless to say, I have many collections!


When Randy and I got married 27 years ago, we inherited the nesting set of Pyrex bowls from his Mamaw Bean. I fell in love with the yellow, green, red and blue bowls! Thus began my love affair with Pyrex!
I remembered growing up on the grey-rimmed Pyrex dishes and was able over the years, to find the red, chartreuse, and blue-rimmed dishes. I have two place-settings of each color cuz my Mom had saved two place-settings of the grey... but no grey-rim coffee cups. So several years ago when I went with Randy to Alaska on a concert tour, I found two grey-rimmed coffee cups!! (the only two!) How cool is that!


My favorite is the glass refrigerator containers. Around the 40's and 50's our parents used these containers to put their leftovers in... before Tupperware was invented. These square and rectangle vivid colored containers are simply adorable!
Oh and btw, I never spent more than a quarter or fifty-cents for any of my Pyrex till Martha did an article in her magazine about the up-and-coming collectibles... Pyrex being the newest craze. Then I started noticing that I wasn't seeing as much Pyrex in the thrift stores... they had made it to the bigtime... the antique stores.
Oh, and those six cute mugs on the bottom shelf of my hutch are Fire-King cola mugs. I found each of them at six different thrift stores over many years. It's like they were waiting for me to rescue them so all six could finally be together. I love when that happens!

check this out

Hey, it's me... back with a quicky.
You've got to check out one of my favorite blog sites- amyschubert.blogspot.com
She's the one that got me started in this whole blogging thing. And I thank her!
And her Mom, Nancy and I were pregnant with Amy and Shawn at the very same time.
Anyway, Amy has posted some pics from yesterdays scrapping.
Check them out and enjoy!

softball, 4-H and the York Rodeo

Yesterday was our monthly scrapping day. Nancy, Becky and I and our three grown daughters Amy, Nicole and Miranda get together once a month and scrap. I LOVE scrapbooking with these women! They are all strong, creative, entertaining women. We talk, laugh, eat, encourage and inspire one another.
Amy has started giving us monthly challenges and last month it was to scrap about our childhood summers. She just emailed us our Oct. challenge and I can't wait to blog about it!
So I began to think back on my summers growing up on a farm in WI... easy... softball, 4-H and the York Rodeo.
Softball was huge... fast-pitch softball. None of this slow-pitch stuff. I loved watching the men's fast-pitch games. I loved playing the game. I loved the hot buttered popcorn, the cool night air and cheering in the stands. I wasn't a very good hitter. I didn't have a very good arm, so I played 2nd base. But I could run fast. And I was very competive! This pic is of our softball team riding in the York Rodeo parade. I'm on the hood of the truck, on the driver's side.


4-H consumed a majority of my time during the summer months. We would enter the exhibits we had been working on all year long in the Jackson County Fair. I would enter various sewing garments, jars of canned goods, leather craft items and knitting projects to be judged. I still have all my ribbons and several outfits I sewed from those 10 years in 4-H. We would take shifts in the 4-H food stand throughout the 4 day event. I loved the atmosphere, the rides, the cattle barns, the cute carni guys, the hot carmel popcorn, the grand stand shows (even the tractor pulling contests) and seeing our fellow 4-Hers from other clubs. Our club was named the Northfield Go-Getters!






And then the summer ended with the Annual York Rodeo. Our farm was a mile from the little town of York. (pop. 32) York was "Home of the Biggest Little Rodeo in the U.S.A"! I still have the very T-shirt with that very saying on the front. People came from far and wide to see the parade, the rodeo, the garden tractor pull, play bingo, ride the shetland ponies, eat grilled chicken, watch softball and sit in the dunk-tank. The York Rodeo was a big deal in our little town and still is to this day! Did I mention my love for hot buttered popcorn!!

Well, there you go... my summer memories. What are yours?

six random thoughts

Randy turns 53 today and was born in '53... is there a name for that when it happens?
My feet grew a half a size with each of my three kids... why?
I am convinced that if you talk to anyone long enough you will find you know someone mutually.
Why does red paint appear pink in the can but goes on red?
I have watched every single episode of "judging amy" many times over and I still cry.
How is it that "pure country" is the most romantic movie and the couple never even kiss!

camping in the van

How could I have forgotten one of my favorite 'simple pleasures'... camping in our van!
And that is just what Randy and I did Sunday night.
Randy and I decided to take Tyler up to NAU in Flagstaff to see his best friend Zac. Zac had only been there a week... but Tyler was missing his buddy and we were anxious to get out of the heat.
We left Phx in 104 degrees and arrived 2 hours later in Flag to 74 degrees! After dropping Tyler off at Zac's dorm, we went to the Olive Garden for dinner... waited out in the patio sipping margaritas... feeling ourselves relaxing in the cool evening breeze. Loved the pasta, breadsticks, the new skinny sugar packets (when did those come out?) and the Andes mints with the check. Could the day get any better?! YES... we found the perfect camp site in the forest outside Flag near Marshall Lake.
Now you gotta know that for years we camped in our van on our trips to WI because we HAD to. Not only could we not justify a hotel but it was not worth waking the kids to get them in a hotel, only to have to get them back to sleep. So we'd tuck them here and there for the night.. and often times Randy and Shawn would sleep outside. (yes, we would not do that now)
But guess what? Those have become our favorite memories... sleeping in the van... through awesome thunderstorms surrounded by semi-trucks... or Randy and Shawn finding out at 3 am that they were sleeping only yards from a railroad track as the train came rumbling by... yes, scaring them to death! Tell ME you get that kind of adventure at a Motel 6?
So, do you guys remember what silence sounds like? Well, it is the absence of a humming frig, the AC, ice cubes falling in the tray, dogs, cars, sirens, airplanes... everything! We did not hear a single sound all night! So I did not sleep all night... ok, maybe a couple hours. But it was so fun camping in the van!! By the way, we only brought a change of clothes, deodorant, 4 water bottles and LOTS of pillows and blankets... I kid you not... nothing else!! Forgot the camera and flashlight. We woke up to 48 degrees, drove into town, had the best coffee and scones at Macy's on Beaver Street. Then to the 'Art in the Park' festival... met some real interesting artisans. Wanted to buy this amazing piece of steel work that twirls in the wind... $45.00 was too steep. Went over to the visitors center at the old train depot for some info... found the same thing in their gift shop for $25.00!!! Way cool!
The Indian fry bread for lunch took me WAY back... had not had that since Linda and I would go to Park 'n Swap for some in the late 70's! Yummo! Then we shopped, napped back at the camp site, to Bookmans for magazines, then Barnes & Nobles, TCBY for ice cream... talked, laughed and dreamed with Randy for hours and then picked up the boys for dinner... just the best weekend!
I am refreshed, hopeful and a little better prepared for the next thing. And God only knows what that will be...

simple pleasures

what are the simple pleasures in your life?

for me...
iced coffee w/ coconut creme
clean bed sheets
walking Koda
magazines in the mail
organizing a junk drawer
scrapbooking photos
mending clothes
comments on my blog
a fire in the woodstove
traveling anywhere with Randy
smell of orange blossoms
Miranda singing
yard sales & thrift stores
falling rain

sundays... then and now

I've had a sorta love/hate relationship with Sundays most of my adult life. I know, that sounds kinda strange. But let me explain...

When I was growing up, Sundays were the best.
First off... let me just say... farmers may be the only profession that can actually say they work 24/7. There you go, I said it. Now you know.
But on Sundays... well, Sundays were different than the other days of the week.
Sundays were a family day... at least between the two milkings.

After my Dad milked the cows.. we would all go to church at our little Lutheran church. We would all sit together... taking up most of one pew. As a side note... we really were given pins and a bar for every year of perfect attentance in Sunday School. And yes, my pin had several bars hanging from it. You never wanted to miss Sunday School... ever!

After church we'd go home and eat fried chicken... every Sunday. I smile as I recall my Mom saying that she would take the wings while the rest of us got the better parts. And I would think, "I could never sacrifice for my kids like she does and settle for the wings!" Heck, my Mom was no fool... she knew she was getting darn good meat! So now I do that! I love the wings!

Then after dinner (in the midwest the noon meal is dinner) we'd pile in the car and go for an afternoon drive and invaribly end up visiting family.

My Dad came from a family of nine kids. My Mom from a family of six kids. And they all lived close. So I grew up with lots and lots of cousins. We'd often times go to my Grandparents home and spend the afternoon with aunts and uncles and cousins. I loved hearing my aunts and uncles telling stories... recalling events of the past... discussing the weather, the crops, the latest news. They were a fun-loving, laughing bunch.
And come on... is there anything better than hearing your Mom & Dad laughing and joking... totally relaxed... enjoying the day! I felt I really got to know my parents hearing them interact with family and friends.

Fast forward... Randy and I married... in full-ministry.
Needless to say, Sundays are not quite the same. Sundays are, well, a work day.
Randy is either on the road singing at a church somewhere or leading worship at our church. So he leaves the house super early... we rarely ever ride to church together... much less sit together. He usually needs a nap before he heads out again for an evening concert somewhere... or he'll leave right from church to sing at another church out of town.

Don't get me wrong... I love our life... I love that Randy is doing what he was created to do.
But... it was just not what I wanted our Sundays to be like... what I knew and remembered my Sundays to be like.

So I struggled... especially thoses years when our kids were young... wanting to recapture the memories of my youth... wanting the same for my kids that I had with my family.

But guess what? They're fine... they love Sundays... hanging out with their church friends... building memories.
And guess what? I'm fine... I scrapbook with a group of friends once a month... so it has become like my scrap day.
Randy and I love hanging with our family & friends when we can... and love to be outdoors as it gets cooler. Life is truly good.

Just had a thought... I need to do a scrapbook layout called 'Sundays... then and now'.

things I want to do

things I want to do before it's too late...

create mosaic stuff
exercise more
see the canadian rockies
learn photography
use photo shop
downsize my clutter
read the word more
watch shindler's list
hike the canyon again
experience the north rim
weigh my driver's license wt
floss every day
worry less
scrapbook faster
be in the moment
see myself as Christ sees me
have no regrets
give grace
listen more
talk less

Schwan's came!

Yesterday was quite eventful... the Schwan's "man" came!!
But it was more than that... you see, I have a new Schwan's"man"... she's Sam, my new Schwan's "girl"!!
And I really like her! She's so nice... she loves Koda & Wiley... she's from Minnesota... a farm girl... and cute as a bug! What's not to like! She's now part of the family!

So, what in the heck is Schwan's, you ask!?
Well, those big vanilla-colored trucks that you see around town... well they come to your home at no cost, selling quality frozen foods, at normal prices. They are known for their ice cream products... Blackjack Cherry ice cream! Yummo! Oh and Nicole, I ordered the garlic red skin mashed potatoes! Miranda said they were great!
Oh, and you get a free half gal ice cream on your first order!
Come on... call them up!

Randy and I

Randy and I were gone over the weekend teaching at a Marriage Retreat.
Our 27th Wedding Anniversary is Friday.
So, I thought I would take a post and tell you about my husband, Randy.

He's probably the kindest man I know... he's thoughtful, sensitive and wise... an incredible father to our three kids. Oh and the smartest man I know... I swear he has retained everything he has ever heard... I am serious!

When I came out here to Phx... I was two months away from heading back to WI. I had only wanted to come out here for a year, grow in my faith, and go back home. But then I met Randy at a Hand in Hand concert that we were singing at. I heard his voice, singing these amazing songs... and they made me cry. (believe it or not, back then I rarely ever cried)
We went to a movie on our first date and I quickly became aware of his deep love and commitment to the Lord. And then one night he made me laugh and that is when I knew... he's the one. I still went back to WI that summer... we wrote letters and talked on the phone... and then I returned to Phx. Aug. 28, 1978 and we were married a year later on Aug. 25, 1979.

I love that he loves Christmas and Disneyland like no other.
I love that he still puts gas in my van.
I love that he decorates like crazy for Halloween.
I love that he puts extra memory on my Mac to surprise me.
I love that he fixes all the cars to save money.
I love that he lets me be me... just the way I am.
I love that he is honest, patient and trustworthy.
I love that he is... just the way he is.

you made a difference

Recently I proposed this question to a group of women- "tell me about a person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to." Here's my story:

When I was 8 years old, I sent a paragraph about myself to this Farm Journal/ Dairy magazine... they had a page devoted to kids writing in for pen pals. I don't know what I wrote... but it must have been very impressive... cuz I got tons and tons of mail from kids all over the tri-state area. I ended up choosing Debbie from Minnesota. We wrote for over 10 years and I finally met her for the first time on her wedding day and then our correspondence ended. And no, she is not the person I would want to talk to.
In the midst of the tons of mail that I recieved, I got a letter from a lady asking if she could send me a subscription to the magazine, Young Ambassadors. Wow... I was thrilled... my very own magazine!
But little did I know the effect the magazine would have on me spiritually. I became very aware of God, and wanting to be a good person for Him. I read these stories that made me want to believe in miracles... to believe that God was good and not mean and scarey and far away. When the year ended I wrote to thank her for the magazine... and she ended up renewing the magazine for many years after that.
Wow... what could I possibly say to her? Well...
"Thank you... thank you for investing in ME. Thank you for making a little girl believe she was special... that she was destine for great things. Did you have any idea that your act of kindness would make a difference... that many years later I would trust Jesus with my life... that I would let Him use ME in the life of another... just as you did? Thank you for planting that seed of hope."

Who from your past has made a difference in your life? Tell them... or tell me (or someone) if they have passed on.

my love of storytelling

I had quite the imagination growing up... heck, I still do. Ok, so I talk for my dogs! And I often times forget it's me talking for them. Is that wrong?

Anyway, I pretended and played with dolls long after my friends stopped. So when I was 12 years old, I went from playing with dolls to playing with my very own baby brother Kevin. And he was so much more fun than a doll! Kevin's 2 brothers and 3 sisters were born within 7 1/2 years and then 10 1/2 years later Kevin was born. Needless to say, Kevin brought so much joy to our family! He became the focus of my need to love and be loved. Let me tell you, he was one loved little guy! I would spend hours talking to him... telling him stories... singing to him... holding him... just loving him to pieces!

When I graduated from high school... he was just starting school. So needless to say, he became the glue in our family, drawing us back home, wanting to be there for all his activities. He kept my parents young and active... he made us all proud. Kevin was 10 years old on my wedding day in 1979. The only tears I shed that day was when Kevin was lighting the candles.

Well, I guess my storytelling got around... so that when I was a senior in high school I was encouraged to join Forensics because they had just introduced a new catagory.... storytelling. I didn't know a thing about Forensics... but I went to the meeting... and was told to find a story to memorize for the first level of competition (district). So I edited and memorized an 8 minute story... and won in that catagory... and then was told I had to find another story for the next level (Regional)! So I edited and memorized the next story... and won in that catagory! I was going to State in Madison, WI!! Well, I found another great story... not as good or funny as the other two. I didn't get first place... but I had an awesome time... roomed with my friend Naomi, who also represented our little school, Whitehall High School, competing in another catagory. What a wild ride to cap off my senior year!

I don't remember what story went with what level of competition ~

"The Waltz" by Dorothy Parker
"I Can't Breath" by Ring Lardner
"Memoirs of a Yellow Dog" by O' Henry

Reminisce & this & that

I thought I'd share little bits of "this & that" so that you have a sense of who I am.

Ten years in 4-H introduced me to sewing, cooking, leathercraft, canning, knitting and travel.

My Mom had 5 kids in 7 1/2 years, the 6th was born 11 years after the youngest.
I played the bassoon in high school ~ our woodwind quintet went to State.
Went to a one-room school in first grade- grades 1st- 6th, 5 girls and 15 boys- the year President Kennedy was killed (1963).
It was a big deal when the Schwann's man came to the farm in WI once a month.
I was a varsity cheerleader for football and basketball.

The Jackson County Fair and fast-pitch softball were the highlight of my summer.
It is still a big deal when the Schwann's man comes to our home in AZ every two weeks now.
I saved the wad of gum I was chewing when I got Harmon Killabrew's autograph at a Twins game.
I save and collect... well... everything.
My name is Linda Thompson and I am an ice cream addict.
I graduated with 78 students in '75 ~ Randy graduated with 1200 in '72.
My parents met at a roller skating rink ~ married 56 years. 

Randy's parents met at a roller skating rink ~ married 64 years.
Went to Cosmetology school after high school... worked in a beauty shop for one year.
I came out here to Phoenix in 1977 with my friend Linda... met Randy and well, I'm still here.
Linda and I grew up together - both named Linda Larson. 

We wrote and sang Christian music and called ourselves Linda Larson & Friend.
I don't know how to swim.
I'm a stay-at-home Mom to our puppies Koda (1) and Wiley (5).... and our son Tyler (17).

Our son Shawn is married to Nicole and our daughter Miranda is in college. 

That's 4th born ME ~ born Dec. 13, 1956! Gary was only 14 months older than me! 

Sisters Kathy & Ginny are 15 months apart. How did my Mom do it all!

BLOGLESS no more!

So here it is... I have a blog!

After all my whining and complaining, my family decided to help usher me into the 21st century by helping me create a blog.

OK, so now that I have one I am feeling kinda bashful about the whole thing... I mean, what have I done... what's it going to be about... what am I going to say... how do I keep you coming back for more? More of what? Of ME? Yikes!

I guess I will just let this blog evolve... along with me and my life... and I will tell stories that give you a snapshot of my journey... stories that help explain who I am... stories that are just worth telling. That's it... I'm a storyteller! I am so about the story... "stories that preserve the past, encapsulate the present, and hold promise for the future", a quote from my daughter, I might add. Thanks Miranda, you so get me!

So when did my storytelling begin?

Well, I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin... the 4th of 6 kids... 3 boys and 3 girls... the first 5 kids born within 7 1/2 years... the 6th came along about 11 years later. I remember at a very young age, telling my brothers stories as they fell asleep. I would make up elaborate stories about make believe twin sisters Penny & Pat. I would have to talk real loud because their bedroom was across the hall in our two story farm house. Often times they would have long since fallen asleep, but I would still have to finish the story, anxious to see how I was going to end it! I didn't care that anyone was listening!

So I plan to keep telling the stories whether you check in or not... but it would be nice to know someone is out there.

Thanks for taking a peek ~ come back for more!

Here's a photo of me and my siblings taken Feb. '06 at my Dad's 80th birthday party on the farm.

Kevin - Ronnie - Gary

Linda - Ginny - Kathy