Kids at work

Nicholas was one of about 200 kids who came to our office today to learn about what their moms and dads do at work.

Our first stop was breakfast in the cafeteria. After washing down his bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs and gravy-covered biscuit with hot chocolate, he spent the morning learning about the concepts of money, saving, spending, wants and needs; he also participated in a community project where the kids made some crafts for a local non-profit organization.

At noon, we met for lunch -- a HEFTY serving of spaghetti with meat sauce and steamed broccoli. Then he spent the afternoon in my office, helping proofread tomorrow's Web content. He has a sharp eye for detail and asked lots of discerning questions. He also used my camera and tripod to record some of his own memories. He emailed a few of his photos to his teacher, and he also made some file folder labels to help organize my perpetually growing stack of papers.

First blossoms

Signs of spring

Wow! We've had two sunny days in a row! And the spring cleaning bug paid a major visit to our house!

The pear trees and some of my perennials are in full bloom, so I decided it was time to plant some annuals. It felt so great to be outside digging in the dirt and selecting new homes for the plants I purchased!

I also splashed some color inside the house by hanging some new curtains and a few pictures on the walls. What a difference a little color makes!!

Time to get back outside and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Celebrating our family heritage

While we were gathered to say goodbye to Aunt Florence Monday, we reminisced about her and her siblings, who grew up in Beulah, Kan. The Burns children included Harvey, Meribel, Jack, Florence and Lois (my grandmother).

What a challenge it must have been in those days to get five children cleaned up and ready for a photo! If my memory is half as good as Aunt Florence's ... I believe she said that they rode into town in the wagon with their good clothes packed in a trunk so they wouldn't get dusty on the way.

Chicken and stuff

The kids and I are in Pittsburg, Kan., tonight. We had a terrific dinner at Chicken Annie's with Grandma and Grandpa J. If you've ever been in this part of the state, you're sure to have heard of it. I remember going to one of several locations as a child with my parents, grandparents and extended family members. People would drive for miles and stand in long lines to eat fried chicken and all that went with it. Here's some interesting background on the restaurant.

Tomorrow morning we'll attend a funeral for my great aunt, Florence Boulware, 94, who's gone home to be with her eternal Father in heaven. It will be so nice to be in the company of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, celebrating her life and recalling her colorful antics. For example, I'll never forget attending her 90th birthday party and seeing her perform "He ain't nothing but a hound dog." Then, just a few minutes later, I heard her reciting poetry that she had known since she was a young girl. She couldn't have weighed more than 90 pounds, but there was nothing else about her that was small. She was a woman of great substance and faith. And I'm grateful for the opportunities I had to be with her. She shared stories about our family heritage that I had never heard from anyone else. Every conversation with her was like a special gift.

Bedtime for Bingley

While the kids and I are in Pittsburg, Kan., tonight, Bingley's keeping Mike company. Most likely, he's already staked out his favorite pillow, warmed it up and tried to convince Mike that it's bedtime.