Make it a Great Day! ;-)

Happy Saturday, my friends, and Happy Birthday to Jeffrey Edward today!!

Catching up on photos here, as per usual, plus a few fun quotes... then I'm hoping to write a post on the book I finished today.  (Yay for diving back into audiobooks this month!)

Thanks to Judge being in Texas for the OU-TX game, I was able to take off Thursday afteroon and watch the Patriotic Program for the first time in years... Jace's class celebrated the different military branches - he was in the Army group, so they sang "The Army Goes Rolling Along."  They had groups for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard... and they asked anyone in the audience who had served to stand as their branch's song was being sung.  I LOVED that whole part - lots of applause for those who served our country... which the kids likely took as applause for them and got louder and bolder in their singing, and it was just all great! =)  

Kyndal Faith's class dressed as what they want to be when they grow up, singing songs about our hope and freedom.  All of that was great!

I'm grateful I got to be there for this one! ❤

The kids and Rach, in her appropriately patriotic attire! =)

She typically wears her hair down for programs, but K insisted on the topknot this time since she was dressing as a vet and thought that was more appropriate to dress in theme. lol  She's the very best!

Exactly five years before on that same date, Jaceman was the Kindergarten rep for Homecoming... so here's me and the Jaceman, 2018 then 2023! =)

We had a lunchtime training session at Restore on Wednesday, learning about various addiction recovery treatment centers.  They provided CFA boxed lunches for us, and I was excited to finally get to try the waffle chips, which were good... but it was a softspoken guy talking, so I tried to chew extra-slow, and I felt acutely aware of how loud the chips were crunching. lol

*PS... Every time Debra dismisses our group, she ends it with, "Make the day great!" and it makes me think of Jeffrey's catchphrase, "Make it a great day!" They're both emphasizing that we have the ability to choose our words, attitudes, and actions and to intentionally shape our day for the better! ❤

My next hair color plan... =)

I started watching The Super Models documentary on Apple TV+ last week.  It focuses on '90s supermodels Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington, using Freedom as the theme song (obviously)!  Anyway, it was interesting and had some fun '90s memories, but it was mostly just a good reminder that no one is immune to aging and medical problems, and that outer beauty is fun-but-fleeting, while inner beauty is unfading and worth cultivating.

So thankful for 13+ years of friendship with JEM!
This = my collage for his bday post on FB.

Hope you've had a fantastic day celebrating, Jeffrey!
Kelly posted this pic of him with the kids - Henry's smile makes me happy, and so does the Star Wars cake!

My 2nd OSU game this season was a glowing success - fun times had by all!!  The Cowboys stayed strong and beat Kansas, and the crowd was super feisty, which made it more fun!  The band did a karaoke thing at halftime with Hey, Jude, Friends in Low Places, and Sweet Caroline!  We had taco salad and BBQ and ice cream bars + candy for the long drive home! lol  (And Orange Crush with a black straw - very OSU appropriate and Chet-approved classiness!)

Me (clapping along): "Oh, I LOVE IT when the crowd gets riled up... even when I have no idea what's going on!"
Charlene, laughing at me:  "It's really the fellowship you just can't put a price on!"
Me:  "Mmhmm, that and the food - worth the trip every time!" lol ;-)

*A fun coincidence that I dressed appropriately for the blackout game - I was just trying to choose a shirt I could seamlessly wear to work and the game, then I threw on my orange headband from Jenna!

...We were stuck in crazy traffic on the way out of Stillwater, which gave us more time to chat, so that was nice. lol  Charlene showed me the furniture store on the corner and told me she and Georgia used to go to the movies there, so I looked up old photos of it... pretty cool!

I've joined the BeReal app, mostly because my niece and nephews and two CCU friends are on there.  So here I am "being real" on my way into Ted's to meet the fam tonight! lol

Kyndal (clearly expecting us all to be shocked):  "Triston has a pocket knife in his car!!"
Mom:  "Well, those can come in handy sometimes!"
Rach:  "Yeah, they're not just for stabbing someone!"
Kyndal with all the sarcasm:  "Well, what's he gonna use it for?  To cut up his pancakes!?" lolol

It's cute to see their daily posts! *(The push-ups and toe-touch pics are by me after our dinner).

Jace, Asher, and Gideon at the CHA football game last night! =)

My happy orchid, a gift from Holly Dei - I'm watering it weekly with ice cubes because Google tells me it's a good idea. =)

K-Faith telling me about their class project:  "I need some red food coloring -- I'm in a group that's doing the plague where the water turns into blood.  We all picked different ones and we act them out."

Jace (a year older):  "Oh, I remember that -- that was so fun!"

Me: "Oh yeah?  Which plague did your group do last year?"

Jace:  "Umm, I think it was, like, the one with Moses."

Me:  "Got it.  Good choice!"

❤