Greener Pastures?

Bruce do you recall the time you decided to run away and I was going to tag along? We were running to the woods as I recall. Unfortunately we didn't think to pack a lunch, a change of clothes, bug spray, etc. We returned home to discover no one had even seen our note "Don't try to find us, etc". How humiliating.

I learned, if I am going to run away, take Mom....she is an excellent packer, and always prepared with snacks, sun screen , bug spray etc, and when I am tired she has a soft lap.

Robin

Samber Times

Last weekend, Sam and I had the opportunity to be judges at a water balloon fight that was attempting to break the world record. Christian Student Fellowship (CSF), which is the largest campus ministry at the University of Kentucky, held the event. Microsoft currently holds the Guinness World record for the largest water balloon fight. We were able to break the most water balloons at a fight with 58,000, but missed the most number of people at a water balloon fight by 110 people. We had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check out the video above to view this amazing outreach opportunity that was put together by a few interns and a core group of CSF students.

I have to say Sam and I are blessed with so many opportunities to love and serve people of all ages and for that I am thankful to still be living in Lexington, Kentucky! I have recently joined the CSF board and Samber hopes to become more involved with the students over the next year.

Memories from the grey haired one

I do remember the camping trips that were lots of fun, lots of planning and work and so worth it. Besides that's all we could afford at that time. How about camping with the pop-up camper under the western sky near the Mesa Verde Indian dwellings. I sure felt the presence of those ancient people. Or waking up to find a beautiful lake when all we were impressed with the night before was having a pit toilet. I guess we were so intent on making memories that we got carried away. Coasting down that hill and praying for a service station to fix the oil leak on our Ford wagon that wouldn't start when it got hot. God sure had a lot to do to keep all of us safe. We kept pushing our luck! Even on the back roads, Dad sure loved to explore. The 3 trips across the Howard Franklin when we couldn't figure how to get back to Clearwater or wherever we lived then. This will be a fun time as I tell you more of my thoughts and how I remember our many adventures. We did a lot on faith and I still do. Love you all and the photos are great.

Grandma Temple's Clock

Sandy- Thanks for starting this blog. I think it's a great idea!

Just to add to the conversation...I remember that I was terrified of Grandma Temple's clock when I was little. It was so loud and I used to have nightmares that it was a bomb.

I also remember the church youth group camping trips. I always had a great time .. probably because I was able to hang out with the bigger kids some. The Ocala campgrounds were a lot of fun. Sandy do you remember when you and I got lost one night going to the bathroom and could not find our campsite?

Happy belated Birthday Susan!

Great idea! Glad that someone got this started. The picnic pictures remind me of the summer afternoons that we spent in Uncle Marshall and Aunt Jessie's backyard (also Grandma Temple's) for picnics when we still lived in New York. This would have been before Robin and almost before Bruce. It was just a yard full of Temples and tables full of picnic food. Everybody ate till they were stuffed and kids ran around the yard everywhere. There were a lot more boys than girls. I remember the lightening bugs too and riding home in the dark. I was recently reminded of Grandma Temple's when someone introduced me to their dog, a little black Scottie just like the one she kept on her bed, where we were forced to nap if we were visiting during nap time. I hated the clock in her bedroom (which you had to walk through to get to the bathroom) because it ticked really loudly and one of my older cousins (a boy, I'm sure, who got a kick out of teasing me) had me convinced it was a bomb.

Well, we have survived Faye here at the McNiels'. Robin, what are you doing on the computer at 4am?

Sharing memories

What a wonderful idea. My kids are asking all the time about what was it like when I was growing up, or to remind them of memories from when they were small. This past week Mom was telling me that she ran into a woman who used to be in the teen group when they were the counselers. She remembered the camping trips, as I do. I don't remember alot about them but the swimming, and perhaps that is because I wasn't a strong swimmer yet. I do remember Juniper Springs and Alexandria Springs in Ocala and canoeing at one of them. I don't even know if there are still open camp grounds there. I do remember having fun, and now I wonder if Mom and Dad ever had second thoughts about taking so many teens (boys and girls) into the woods together by themselves? I know times have changed (and not always for the better), but I wonder if they got the enjoyment out of it, that all of you did, and even myself, tho I can't remember much but the swimming. All of the good stuff must have gone on after I was forced to go to bed! :-)

All Aboard

So here is the start of the Temple family blog, set up for all of us to post pictures, news, thoughts, thanksgivings and memories.  I'm hoping that ALL of us will contribute from time to time, and that it will be an easy to use format for Mom to record some of her memories for us from her and dad's lives together and their family stories.  

Family members:  If I had your current e-mail address I sent you an invitation to co-author this blog.  If you didn't get an invitation and want to post to the blog, make sure I get your e-mail address so you can get on board.   If you need help getting started, just ask.   I'll add a photo badge/album and links to other family members' sites as I'm able.  Right now I have it set as an open site where anyone can view it - if you want it set up restricting viewers to only those we invite, let me know right away.

Here's some of our pics from the Easter get-together for your enjoyment.  Apparently Kirsten was inside when I was snapping photos, so if you have one with her in it from that day, would you please upload it?