[marvinranch]

THIS is now home of my CGR blog:kgrin::klol:
I'm gonna be out of pocket for a few days but I'll be back soon coz
TONIGHT I'm leaving for a youth trip to Branson, MO with my 'new' church and we're coming back at midnight Sunday night/Monday morning then early MONDAY there's a huge sale at GC so I'll be heading there. I even hear they're supplying coffee:kwink: and by Tuesday I'll hafta go back to school & work again.....

Cya L8r!!!

[Jeremiah]

Woo, first reply!

Hiya, Marvin. I like your avatar.

[MusicalDragon84]

Hey Marvin.. GREAT AVVY!

[Kati]

Hey April...just thought I'd say hi.

[marvinranch]

BIG POST for all of last weekend :kgrin:
on Friday night we left church for a Barn Swingin trip to Branson, MO. It was quite an un-eventful drive....went the same way that we went to Blanchard Springs last weekend (that trip isn't on any of my blogs yet, no time to write) and it seemed familiar then because we'd gone only a few weeks back as it was. ANYWAY, we had supper in at BK and then made about 2 other stops, got to our hotel by midnight. We stopped at Rushing (I think it was) and there was this interesting place we stopped. The picture of small-town Arkansas. Most everybody got root beers in the bottle it was cool.
Got to our hotel, there was a minor complication with our rooms. They assigned 5 of us to a 4-person room. They had an extra bed in with Mrs Jena and the baby and no one really wanted to go there and atttempt to sleep with the baby crying....but oh well. We got somewhat settled in and then went to our neighbor's room (read: Dusty & Jason & Bro Mark)and played "BS" (or liar or hogwash) till almost 2am! :klol: it was really fun! Bro Mark is so funny sometimes!
NObody slept very well that first night, I never do, some of the jr high went to bed at like 12:30!!! wow woke up at 6:30ish and breakfast was free from 7-9. They had COFFEE!!!!!!!!!! :kgrin:
We went to the Bass Pro Shop "welcome hunters, fishers and liars" it was reeeeally big. Interesting, but easy enough to not spend money there. JD and Dusty walked really fast so I hung out with Jeremy and Casey and Ashley and Chris. They had cool fish and a shark, and cool shooting ranges etc. And a bunch of animals(stuffed) etc. And water...lots of water.
Had BBQ for lunch, it was pretty good, not quite Three Sams' though. It didn't look like it'd been burned down at least twice :ktongue: but whatever, some of the jr high girls walked across the street and bought shoes at Payless. Then we went back to the hotel. Rested and played more BS....teased Bro Mark for watching football with his eyes closed
THEN we went to the mall. It was huge and we didn't have enough time there. We were all dead tired though, myself included. I bought a army green nylon belt with metal holes in it - it's really awesome I can't believe I didn't have one before! I got a new pair of sunglasses coz it's really hard to find my favorite style to fit my head so I get em when I find em. I got a deck of cards from Big Dog that say the Big Dog's Rules - my favorite (the one that Kati should know, and all of my friends know about me) "IF I can take it from you, it's mine" and I got a sticker for the guitar case that I haven't bought yet. The church bought Pizzas and had em delivered to the hotel. I went swimming - we went too far north....that water was waaaay too cold for middle of August! And the hot tub was a "lukewarm tub" coz it was broken I took a hot shower instead. Bro Mark sent us all to bed at 10:30 but we watched Mission Impossible till 11:45 and then slept like a log till 7:30ish
all the guys appeared for breakfast in jeans and collered shirts but the girls in slouchy t-shirts and jeans. The guys were ready for church but the girls took every minute till 8:45.....not myself but the others did. We had to sing at the church we went to, which was odd. Bro Mark (who is the choir director) said everybody would have to sing, so we did. Then we had sunday school which bro Jay taught coz their usual youth pastor was out of town - WHICH I found very odd since it was their pastor's last Sunday. Then we finally had church, it was very interesting. They sang a lot since we did special music and they did their normal stuff too. The pastor had a good sermon, I liked it. We were supposed to check out of the hotel at 12:30 but we were still at church at 12:15.....took forever to do their announcements and all. Partly coz the pastor was leaving. We threw everything back into our bags and checked out by 12:45 though.....and then went for lunch. We got a group rate and the church put it on their credit card, we had to pay only $5 each for it. It was great, slightly rushed though. We were supposed to BE at the barn swingin by 2 and we were leaving the restraunt at 1:50......

[marvinranch]

:kshock: I got tired of typing so I''ll finish up with the actual Barn Swingin and the ride home later-----

Um, we got to the barn swing about 30 min late, as we were. It was odd, scary looking when we got there. and kinda hot too They told us the rules then you had to swing once with the instructor. It was this rope thing with a swing thiing, you ran and jumped side-ways (gee whiz, to the left I think....can't believe I forgot, it was just natural to copy what they showed us) off of a 'bridge' in the middle of 2, and it was in your typical tin-covered pole barn with wood slats on the inside with old mattresses on the ground. you could go doubles if you wanted...I did a few times. On the other sde of the barn there was a section with lots of smaller swings, in a 'hole' in the floor with "store-bought" type mulit-colored padding. I prefered the big ones myself but there was more small ones and thus shorter lines. I didn't take too many pictures, but Amber did take some so we'll get those posted one of these days. There was also a large, outside swing it looked scary and I dind't do it. You had to get harnessed in, and there was no padding on the ground. It was a blast! I loved the big indoor swings :kgrin: :kgrin:
We left for home and it seemed like we made too many stops before supper. We hadn't been on the road long when this green minivan about 5 cars in front of us STOPPED in the middle of the highway to turn left....I mean the least they could do was signal and slow down! 4 cars stopped bumper to bumper without hitting each other. Jeremy was in front of our van and he pulled onto the shoulder and turned into the lane so that he was sideways in his lane in order to stop in time - when Bro Jay (who was driving our van,with the TRAILER) saw that, he knew he couldn't stop with a van full and a trailer pushing on us! He slowed enough and we took the really scenic rout - - - off road!! It was really bumpy but considering the alternative we were cheering for Jay!!!! By the time we went to MD to eat we were starving and it was dark. Not much else, pretty uneventful trip home. We actually got in 30 min early, coz the barn swing place was 30 min towards home from Branson so..... Bro Jay is a good driver and God was with us, and it was a really fun trip!!!

[marvinranch]

on Monday I got my guitar case, a hard plastic locking one, got new strings and picks for $105 total incl tax
This guy at GC was really cool....

pix from the other posts that wouldn't load that night
the back of my Big Dog cards and the sticker I got (which is now on my guitar case)

[MusicalDragon84]

HeY.. hOpE yOu ArE hAvInG a WaY cOoLiO dAy!

cAtCh Ya On ThE fLiP sIdE!

[marvinranch]

hmm lets see. Had a LOT of fun Wednesday night just chillin at praise band practice with my friend Jason C. He is a manager at the Wal-Mart where I work, one of my favorites, he took over the praise band when Dan left for college. I played his guitar a little bit, I like it, nice size and all - but mine is better
Went to the county fair, and then dad got mad at us. Not much else

[marvinranch]

Um, another Wednesday, another Awana game night, my youth pastor was in the hospital though - he'll be alright but prayers appriciated - then I went to band practice. Since they wont' let me drive my truck I hafta ride with my family and it really sucks coz they didn't want to stay late for band practice. I had to leave at 9:15 instead of staying till 10, and possible visiting Bro Jay and stuff like that. Curfew isn't till 11:30 but I still can't take advantage of it :-p

[marvinranch]

not a good Sunday morning yesterday but a good night. I had to eat cold pancakes and it was all mom's fault, when I complained they got all mad at me. Went to HC at night, it was awesome as usual! We had a business meeting at church, they're kinda boring but kinda interesting too.... Then we ate, and I hung out with Jason C & played guitar a little bit & just stuff like that.

[MusicalDragon84]

sounds like fun!

[marvinranch]

SATURDAY, September 20, 2003
Got up, didn't know what to do - I didn't need a shower coz we were just going swiming in a lake...didn't need to eat coz we were going to IHOP, went to IHOP with the other homeschool seniors, seems like we were there forever, drove to the lake, chilled, then went out in the boat, I was one of the last ones to go out in the boat, first they skied but I didn't do that, I waited on the dock with other people, then they told me to jump in the water - and I did. I was the only one that just jumped in, after being a swimmer for 2 years I have absolutely NO qualms about just jumping in almost any water at the drop of a hat. ANYWAY, it was fun. I was one of the last to go on the boat - and it was my first time in a boat like that, it was kinda windy out today. Will did the tubes and he fell a lot, the others did them too and then I did. I rode doubles with Will a lot, I was really good. I only fell twice (for my first time everyone called me the champion) Once Will crashed into me, his shoulder whacked the side of my face, once I bounced waaaay up in the air and that made my neck hurt(but I didn't flip) and finally I bounced and did flip
IT WAS AWESOME!

[marvinranch]

Friday, September 26, 2003
lately I've been controlled by an insatiable hunger....the more I eat the hungrier I feel
I haven't had a lot of time for journaling, in my journal or on either of my blogs. Just school & work.

[MusicalDragon84]

School is no fun. Where do you work? what grade are you in? what's your name?

mine is Ilea..