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2011-10-15T17:50:00.003-04:00

How beautifully leaves grow old.

How full of light and color are their last days.
~John Burroughs

Sleeping a little longer than usual, time with Pops without a "to-do" list, and a walk through the woods enjoying the beginning of Fall's splendor . . . so grateful for God's blessings of the day . . . a much needed day of rest and relaxation.

Message from Beluga Bill

2011-07-31T19:55:00.002-04:00

colors of summer

2011-07-23T19:58:00.004-04:00

i love the colors of summer! visiting our state farmers' market is always a treat. thank you, NC farmers!

we ventured out to the market early this morning. ymmm . . . lots of fresh fruit & veggies for us the next several days! tasted a new melon today ~ the canary melon ~ seemed liked a mix between honeydew and canteloupe. absolutely d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.!

Where are the pirates?

2011-05-24T09:02:00.003-04:00

I'm almost sure I heard them whisper, "But . . . where are the pirates?"

A brief "Staycation"

2011-04-13T13:44:00.006-04:00

I am taking a few days off from work; and as always, composed myself a little list of things that I needed to accomplish & things I'd like to enjoy during this small "staycation."

Yesterday's staycation made me think of you, Nana Jane and Sarah . . . take a look at these pictures and I think you'll know why.

Just a little glimpse of the sights around Durham & Chapel Hill~

Cheraw

2011-03-26T18:31:00.004-04:00

Enjoyed a visit in Cheraw. Pretty yard, Granddaddy Bob. Delicious soup, Nana Jane! Love you.

Yellow is the color of Spring . . .

2011-03-05T16:19:00.004-05:00

daffodils

forsythia

and our wheelbarrow . . .

Miss Isabella Kate

2011-03-03T08:10:00.002-05:00

Happy birthday, happy - happy birthday to Miss Isabella Kate! Enjoy your first real day of being TWO!

Oodles of hugs & love to you~
Pops & Gammie

ACJB in Macon

2011-02-21T19:30:00.004-05:00

Pops and I made a quick trip down to GA this past week . . . it was truly a blessing to see Adam, Connie, Josiah and Bella . . . as they live & love life and ministry in Macon. What did we do? Let me see . . . picnics, playing in the park, swimming, reading, sharing meals, naps, working a Thomas puzzle, visiting the church campus and Josiah's preschool, shopping "at home" and at the real mall, shooting skeet . . . and a few other things.

Once again, Pops and I are SO thankful for "the gift of time" with family.

Bella - So proud of her tights . . . "2 tights"

Mr. Run-at-Full-Speed around the park!

Celebrating Birthday #2 a wee-bit early

on the night of Christmas Day

2010-12-25T20:45:00.010-05:00

. . . "no snow has accumulated in the Triangle
on Christmas Day since 1947."

it finally began . . . on the night of Christmas Day
you're right, Andrew. it does remind me of Alyeska!. . . I feel the need for another stroll in the park
. . . tomorrow morning

Christmas afternoon stroll

2010-12-25T16:45:00.007-05:00

While waiting for "the snow" to arrive, Pops & I decided to get outside for some fresh air. Our Christmas afternoon stroll in the park was perfect!
We had never seen so many birds; bluejays, cardinals, finches, and field sparrows . . . so busy gathering seeds, apparently. They must know that their woods will be turned to a winter wonderland tonight.

Christmas Season

2010-12-24T13:17:00.007-05:00

A little bit here and a little bit there . . .

. . . time with family throughout the Christmas season!
From the "first gift of Christmas" through Christmas Eve.

Our A2 family visited at Thanksgiving
Bells & her chickadee Christmas ornament (at Thanksgiving)

Enjoying the beauty of a mid-December snowfall

A spend-the-night- evening with our A3 family

Dinner at Las Mags, a game of Rummikub, and a late night movie (the Blind Side)

Appreciating Skype . . . Let the cooking begin!
Doing the unthinkable . . . opening presents a little bit early. . . it IS Christmas Eve!
. . . reading our Christmas letter from Charlotte Rose Merry Christmas Eve, Family . . . oodles of hugs to each of you~
Love, Pops & Gammie

2010-12-22T14:09:00.003-05:00

Pound cake is my favorite. So when I gave Pops a list of possibilities for baking a dessert or two to enjoy over the next few days, pound cake was one of the options on my list. I was shocked (but pleased) when he chose pound cake over pecan chess pie!

Who would've thought baking a pound cake could bring back so many memories?

. . . first of all, I pulled out my favorite cookbook of all times. "Cheraw's Best!" The old paper cookbook that the Jamaican Mission youth group pulled together. Back in the high school freshman/sophomore days! Remember that one? Well (besides Miss Evelyn's pound cake of course), Miss Mondell's "Cold Oven Pound Cake" recipe has proven itself to be tried and true over these many years.

. . . then there was the time that Pops had been gone for a week or so (I can't remember if it was fishing or flying), but I was so excited for his return. I decided to make a "Cold Oven Pound Cake" to have on the kitchen counter to welcome him home. Ashley, a pretty spunky toddler, wanted to help and pulled on the dangling mixer cord as I was doing something else in the kitchen. All of the batter ended up on his head, body, and floor. What a mess!

. . . and the time when I accidentally used self-rising flour in the recipe. That was definitely an "I Love Lucy" moment . . . and another big mess!

Memories are SO special . . . I so appreciate how God brings them back to mind at just the perfect times to give us such amazing heart tickles! I know that you all are, or will be, busy in your kitchens during these next few days. Enjoy the time, and I hope that you'll be making memories that will tickle your hearts for years to come!

Merry Christmas eve, eve, eve~
Oodles of love,
Gammie

Adventuresome lady

2010-12-11T19:53:00.003-05:00

Today Nana Jane was an adventuresome lady. An outing to the grocery store (the first time since August) . . . I SO wanted to hop on the other Walmart scooter and race her around aisles!

Just a little adjustment at the beginning
granddaddy bob called to see how many wheelies nj had popped

tula

2010-10-23T18:20:00.005-04:00

Tula Bellamy was my mammaw on Nana Jane's side of the family. I remember many things about the times I spent at Mammaw & Pappaw's house. During most of my younger years, they lived in a section of a dairy farm's large main house. My pappaw ran the farm for a doctor who lived in another town. Their living room and the bathroom were on the main floor of the house (complete with a stairwell down to the cellar, where my cousin Carolyn and I were sure there were boogers hiding); at the end of a long hallway, stairs led to the second story where the large eat-in kitchen and two bedrooms were found. Another little side room and a funky, big side hall were up there as well . . . but today, it was the kitchen I was remembering. My pappaw got up really early every day; and I can remember the time of morning when he came in from his work for breakfast. There was no cereal with milk set on the table in Mammaw's kitchen. Oh no, only full course meals for breakfast . . . fried tenderloin, gravy & biscuits, eggs, homemade biscuits, fresh butter, homemade jellies, fried apples, fresh milk, etc.

Yesterday, when I got out of the car in Cheraw, Granddaddy Bob greeted me and told me I was in for a surprise. Mary & Doug had come for a visit! This morning I woke up and did a quick grocery-list run to WalMart for Granddaddy Bob, and when I returned . . . another surprise . . . Aunt Bob & Uncle Dan had come for a visit! My cousin, Doug, and his wife Nancy were on their way to Myrtle Beach for Doug to run in a half marathon tomorrow; and so, Nana Jane's two sisters planned a surprise visit to Cheraw! Stand back . . . because there was a whirlwind in the kitchen! Those ladies hit the road running; and before you could blink your eyes twice, a "Tula Bellamy" breakfast was gracing Nana Jane's table . . . mmm, it smelled so good! Sausage gravy & homemade biscuits, cooked apples, sausage patties, honey, applebutter . . . just like the olden' days.

I was busy doing my regular Saturday-morning-in-Cheraw routine . . . complete with giggles as I watched and listened. It's been a little over three years since Nana Jane, Mary, and Bob have all three been together. Mary & Bob talked and laughed as they snapped a "mess" of beans in preparation for lunch. When I left around noon, they were busy discussing the condition of the pie crusts that were coming out of the oven for the butterscotch pies. Two sisters busy in the kitchen, calling back and forth to Nana Jane in the living room. I think a meatloaf was being baked; and there was rumor that some peanut butter-caramel candy was going to be made. Tula would've been proud!

sisters snappin' a "mess" of beans

not long until PT, now!

As I drove home, I continued to stroll down memory lane . . . thinking back to that farm house and of how we cousins played . . .

the stone top table in the lower front yard, down by the tractor shed. That's where I'd sit with my cousins with salt in our hands, waiting for the birds to hop close by; 'cause Mammaw told us if we could get close enough to put the salt on the birds' tails, we could catch them. I always wondered if the salt would weigh down the bird so much that it couldn't fly away. I never got close enough. (When I first read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, in my mind, the stone table where Aslan was slain looked like this table.)
climbing the two huge pine trees by the front sidewalk . . . eewww . . . the sappiest trees in the world!
(one of my favorites!) swinging really high in the big porch swing . . . and I even remember having to help snap beans while swinging so that a "mess" could be cooked!
peeping into the "other side" of the house when Dr. Jones was not there. Come to think of it, was Dr. Jones EVER there?
walking down to the pond, and crossing over the little foot bridge at the place where the road ran through a creek.
listening to Aunt Evelyn's Elvis 45's.

It's amazing how just that little bit of time together this morning could bring back so many memories . . . thanks, Bellamy girls~

Lovin' Fall

2010-10-05T19:01:00.004-04:00

Fall called my heart to the out-of-doors this afternoon. Decided that it was more important to enjoy the beauty of God's creation than to keep my appointment with the treadmill at Rex! It was a great afternoon for yard work . . . the last time we picked up sticks and pine cones, there were family chickadees running all over the yard doing the job for us. My heart smiled as I remembered.Pops and I are lovin' Fall. The leaves are just beginning their change to different colors, and the flowers are in their full splendor . . . . . . these yellow mums are from Granddaddy Bob's 80th birthday celebration!
Adam & Connie, we had to thin out clumps of your purple bearded irises from our beds. We're looking for homes for about 30 really healthy tubars. Becky (next door) took some this afternoon - but, there are still plenty more. Any takers? The cannas will be next!

PS . . . Total change of course: Pops surprised me with tickets to a concert last Saturday night. It was a belated anniversary sercy!! Our first concert in 22 years . . . we had a delightful time ~ Five Guys & a Burger; gorgeous Fall evening, complete with stars; front row on the lawn at Walnut Creek; snuggled under a blanket and tapping our feet to the songs of Little Big Town and Sugarland. What fun!

Promises

2010-09-30T20:57:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday was Nana Jane's 40th day of recovery . . . I nicknamed her "Noah" (you know, 40 days and nights of rain . . .)

Pops and I have been praying for Nana Jane; for healing & for strength of body, mind, and spirit. We also have been praying each morning for Adam and Connie and the kiddos as they settle in Macon. Adam has especially been on my heart.

As I was driving home tonight, I was thinking about these two very special family members and continuing to lift their names up to our Father. I had to run into the Dollar Store for a couple of things. When I came out of the store, there was the most beautiful double rainbow in the sky . . .two rainbows ~ two promises from God. It brought back memories of JD's funeral . . . remember hearing John tell the girls how God would surely see their family through . . . and how they would be alright, because God always keeps His promises? God is our Sustainer! May He grant Nana Jane and Adam the ability to appropriate His great peace, strength, and rest as they each face the challenges before them.

Almost completed

2010-09-11T19:13:00.004-04:00

Thanks to John Davis for ministering to our family. John designed and built (Pops was his gopher) the ramp for Nana Jane and Granddaddy Bob. Graham and Pops put the (almost) finishing touches on the ramp last night and this morning. There's just a little more staining to be done at the top of the ramp . . .
Granddaddy Bob let me "test" the almost completed ramp out today. He sat in Nana's wheelchair and let me roll him down & up the ramp. It's ready when you are, Momma!

Gorgeous day

2010-09-06T13:57:00.004-04:00

I know all of you enjoy sleeping in on your days off from work . . . but, last night when Pops and I realized that the temps were dropping into the mid-50's, we knew that an early morning walk in Joyner Park in that cool brisk air was definitely calling our names!

After our walk we mosied down to Village Deli for a yummy breakfast date; and then made a short visit and enjoyed a friend's smile.

I know the coming week will bring another bout of very hot weather, but I surely have enjoyed these two days of "Fallish" respite . . . so much so that I decided to do "Fall" today. So out came the wreaths and a few moments of enjoying the flowers that are in full bloom at this time of the year . . . . . . and even a butterfly, come to visit.
Happy Fall, Family! I love you. I hope that you have found this to have been a gorgeous day, too!

It's your day, Alistair!

2010-08-18T18:11:00.002-04:00

Although life has been crazy & busy & fun & surprising & unplanned these past few days, I've thought about YOU, Alistair, all throughout this day. Birthdays are great . . . and today is your day! Happy 1st birthday, dear one ~

I love you!

As precious as it gets!

2010-08-09T22:26:00.002-04:00

Just to let all of you know that it is SUCH a delight to have this time with our family. God has been extremely gracious to me today . . . I had pockets of time with each grandchild individually . . . talking, singing, hugging, telling them face-to-face, "I love you!" My time with these five chickadees today has been as precious as it gets!

Need your input

2010-07-07T07:19:00.002-04:00

Hi fam,
I've been working on a simple website page for the Library Media Center at my new job. Would you take a look at it, follow the links to make sure that they work, and then give me any input you may have?
Thanks!

http://weslibrarymedia.weebly.com/

Fun & busy

2010-06-26T20:45:00.006-04:00

the homefront of the Chicago Mission Trip . . . a fun, very busy day!
At the park, at home, and the pool (thanks for the invitation to swim, Andrew & Amanda!)

Successes: brushing teeth, potty-ing in the toilet, enjoying blueberries, long naps (me too!), snuggling, singing lots of songs, staying hydrated, no sunburns, building towers & playing trains, jabbering, sorting stuff

Not so-goods: pigtails, getting to bed on time

Like father . . .

2010-06-25T22:31:00.003-04:00

Like father (and uncles), like son! Boy, this surely did bring back memories of nights gone by!

Summertime meal

2010-06-16T12:00:00.008-04:00

I knew that the "fishing report" was gonna' be good, when Andrew called in requesting me to "meet us at the dock in about 35 minutes with more ice!"
Ahh . . . mahi (and tuna) for the grill . . . we like it blackened, with wild rice and mango or pineapple salsa on the side. And, sometimes, a big piece of sweet corn-on-the-cob adds just the right finish to an "on the patio, summertime meal!" (Unless, of course, the temps are 90+ with equal humidity . . . then we move the plates inside!)

Early morn

2010-06-15T08:24:00.008-04:00

Pops (4:30ish) and Andrew (3:30ish, I think) headed out to the boat very early this morning. When I awoke and looked out at the harbor and channel at 5:30, I could see why. The water looked like glass . . . and those two were chompin' at the bits to get out to the warm water for a day with mahi-mahi. The boat had obviously departed from its slip!I enjoyed a morning of solitude, in Proverbs and Colossians; and then decided to do what I've always enjoyed doing while on vacation at the beach . . . I took a long walk.

Feels like the tropics

It was great, Daddy. I spent some time thinking of you and reminiscing about the Kiser reunions at Surfside and Garden City. While I didn't look for sharks' teeth and I didn't walk along a sandy beach, I did thoroughly enjoy God's creation. Beaufort is quite charming in the early morn.

A friend posted a Youtube clip of the Gettys' Creation Sings the Father's Song on FB yesterday. What a great song to go along with the 100+ bird chorus I heard singing . . . I distinguished about 7 different calls, tweets, coos, squawks, etc. And Charlotte, I saw about 5 wild horses on Carrot Island. No pics though, my camera batteries died :(

I didn't end my walk by climbing up the stairs of the Hey-loo and smelling the bacon that Uncle Tippy was frying; but a bagel and muffin on the balcony was quite nice!

Big Rock

2010-06-14T22:07:00.004-04:00

Pops & I headed to Beaufort today for a few days getaway. Tomorrow's weather forecast offers hope of good conditions for offshore fishing, so I was very glad when Andrew decided to come join Pops for an attempt to get some mahi-mahi for our summer grills.

The Big Rock Fishing Tournament is taking place this week in Morehead City.

Big Rock Fishing Tournament booklet
I think that Andrew should submit some of his artwork for such a cover!

The area is all a-buzz; and we decided to go witness a Big Rock weigh-in, just for the thrill of it all. Couldn't believe the fish that I saw . . . a tournament record blue marlin was caught this afternoon. 883 lbs! It was a monster! Saw a lot of mahi-mahi and a big tuna, but this rascal was the granddaddy of them all!An article in Our State last month boasted of a restaurant in Morehead City which supposedly has the best lemon meringue pie ever. Capt. Bill's Waterfront Seafood was only about 2 blocks from the Big Rock weigh-in dock, so we decided to go there for dinner. Mmmmm . . . on a scale of 1 - 10; this lemon meringue pie was a definite 12! A distant possibility for an August late night dessert, maybe?!

Calling all pirates

2010-05-02T14:02:00.002-04:00

A message from Shallowbag Bay Bill has been posted on "Heart Tickles."

2010-04-05T17:36:00.001-04:00

No lizards yet, but I did see this garden friend today.

Spring break

2010-04-02T20:14:00.005-04:00

Spring break . . . and the weather has been absolutely gorgeous. Yard work beckoned. And, the house needed a bath. I think Pops will be glad when I go back to work on Tuesday!

Promises

2010-03-20T10:17:00.005-04:00

The sun is shining
Gentle breeze
Birds are chirping
Green sprouts, dirt
Getting flowerbeds ready for mulch
I'm in much need for natural Vitamin D!

Good-bye couch
I'm headed outdoors

the promises of spring

blooms on the forsynthia announce
Spring's arrival
first ever success . . . my hydrangea survived
the winter
phlox
kiser daylillies

a kiss of spring outside my kitchen sink window
another soon-to-come promise,
the yellow pine pollen

All of this to enjoy now . . . along with another promise
a distant daydream!

2010-01-31T10:44:00.010-05:00

God blessed us with an unplanned pajama day yesterday as our yard and roads were coated with a thin layer of ice, 5 inches of snow, and a finishing touch of graupple. I usually bustle about on Saturdays, running errands and "making groceries" (that's a term for you, Amandy), but not yesterday . . . pj's and a hoodie, the whole day! A forced day of rest was perfect, because I've battled a dandy cold all week. I would've purchased a whole bottle of DeLuce's Deliquescence, Flavia's Foup Formula had I been able to find it . . . instead I've popped Benadryl and Claritin capsules all week long.

Besides the normal pajama day activities of reading and snoozing, and watching the first three episodes of a new SciFy show called Caprica, Pops and I did a little cooking in the kitchen making a loaf of sausage bread. My co-worker friend, Debbie, shared this recipe with me a few years back . . . I never got around to trying the recipe until a couple of weeks ago.

Sausage Bread
1 loaf of frozen bread dough
turkey sausage
green peppers
diced onion
garlic
grated mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning
1 whipped egg
Note: no particular measurements given, except for 1 loaf of bread and 1 egg . . . Debbie is one of those cooks like Nana Jane who just adds until it's right!

Spray bread pan with light coat of olive oil and let bread dough thaw for about 5 hours. When the bread is thawed brown ground turkey sausage in pan and set aside. Saute green peppers, diced onion, and diced garlic in a little bit of olive oil. Roll out bread dough to make a pizza like crust. Sprinkle browned turkey sausage, peppers, onion, garlic, and mozzarella cheese on the dough. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the whole thing. Roll bread dough, pinching the ends of the loaf together as best you can. (Pops was a great helper here, as we loaded our bread roll so much that the goodies were being pushed out of the ends of the loaf as we rolled!) Place roll in bread pan. Brush an egg wash over the loaf. Bake for 25-ish minutes at 350. Let the bread roll cool a little bit before slicing it . . .

We've eaten the bread as is, but we added a marinara sauce as a side-dip yesterday. Mmm . . . so delicious!

Now it's Sunday, and as is usually the case in NC when it snows a bit, our world is at a stand still. Pops and I hit the driveway early this morning to chip away at the ice and snow so as clear a path out to the driveway so that the sun could do it's thing this afternoon. It reminded me of how the plows would clear one lane around the track at the SoHi football field to help with the melting process. It's been awhile since I've thrown snow and chipped ice, and I'm sure that by mid-afternoon, I'll be adding a little Advil to my Claritin regimen. That's alright though . . . I have thoroughly enjoyed this weekend of snow . . . the beauty of God's creation never ceases to be totally amazing!

our twitter-er

2009-12-30T15:30:00.006-05:00

Josiah definitely loves living life! His verbal skills have exploded; and he tells you about everything he is doing and/or thinking. It's hilarious. Pops nailed it the other day when he described Josiah as being a child of the current technology generation . . . calling Josiah a "twitter toddler" . . . only Josiah's tweets are verbal. So funny ~

Here are a few pics from our morning's "adventure" to Marbles, a very nifty, creative play museum in downtown Raleigh. Josiah was full-speed ahead; Bella just enjoyed people watching.

Pajama Day

2009-12-22T15:31:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow, Pops and I are participating in what may become a new family tradition for us . . . the First Annual Christmas Season Pajama Day. A few weeks ago, a friend passed along her magazines for me to peruse . . . I happened upon an article about the stress of the holiday season with suggestions of returning to a more simple way of life. Pops and I decided to treat ourselves to one of the ideas . . . an entire day of lounging around the house in our pajamas; no work, no "to-do" list. (Do you think Pops will be able to endure?!)

The sun will set in a little while, officially making this evening PJ Day Eve . . . I'm so excited! I've readied myself by going to Rex for a great workout in the pool; then time sitting in the whirlpool and the steamroom. Aaaahhhh. Books and movies are waiting for tomorrow; a whole day of spontaneity . . . of sorts. (hehe) Does it count as being spontaneous, if I've planned for the day for several weeks, even saving the day on the calendar (opened to the reality that God may have something different ordained for the day, of course)? Getting all of my "to-do's" out of the way so that I won't be tempted to hop out of bed early or off the couch because of something pressing to do? Planning for our late breakfast and lunch cookout? I've found that it takes a bit of planning for me to have a spontaneous day . . .

. . . there was a little talk that our AK chickadees might be joining us in this event . . . If so, enjoy!

PJDay Eve: Pops is soon headed out to an IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) match. He, and two little friends from church, will be shooting through 4 different self-defense scenarios, involving shooting hostile targets, and hopefully sparing the innocent bystander targets. (I personally don't think that such an event would help my PJDay frame of mind . . . I'll take the whirlpool and steamroom any day!)

PJDay:

Aaaahhhh

2009-12-18T18:42:00.004-05:00

Aaaahhhh . . . the first Friday night of the school's Christmas vacation ~ if I walked down memory lane (back 13 1/2 years to Soldotna), I'd be sitting with our church family by the fireplace out at Solid Rock. We'd be enjoying supper, playing games, and tubing down the hill. Remember?

Instead, I just returned home from a dinner at Las Mag's, walking up the sidewalks of WF hand-in-hand with Pops, enjoying the snow falling and the pretty street decorations! What a great start to a relaxing evening . . . movies and a fire, still yet to be enjoyed!

Pimento cheese and crackers

2009-12-10T19:25:00.004-05:00

So . . . unlike me, Pops isn't really a Pimento Cheese lover. A friend served this recipe at our small group Bible study the other night, and I was quite surprised when Pops went back for seconds. It's quick and easy to prepare; and best when you let it sit in the fridge for a while. I tried the recipe, and we've been nibbling away . . . mmm. One whole batch + a box of crackers have disappeared in less than a week's time!

2 bags of thinly shredded cheese (the Mexican 4 cheeses mix)
1 large + 1 small jar of diced pimentos
"About" 1/2 of a large jar of Hellman's mayonnaise (according to the cook, it MUST be Hellman's)
I actually use a little less than 1/2 of the jar.
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt (according to taste)
3 tsp of diced Jalapeno peppers (Pops wants more the next time!)
2-3 tsp sugar, according to taste (I used Splenda Blend)
Stir to mix.

new friends

2009-11-29T07:36:00.007-05:00

Making new friends is always fun! Gopi, Gomz, and Anand joined us for the first time in our home yesterday afternoon for lunch and games. Bocce and Farkle were hits! (Whew and yes, Adam, they did eat ALL of the veggie AND cheese pizzas! I was a little worried after you posed your question about cow's milk and cheese . . . I hadn't thought that one all the way through when planning the menu.) We also had big salads, with lots of fruit and some boiled eggs on the side. I tried a new apple pie recipe, that turned out being a real keeper . . . and the guys brought a dish of carrot halwa for dessert, as well.

Gopi, Gomz, and Anand are all from the same city in southern India and are doing graduate work in engineering and computer science at State. Pops and I are excited for the opportunity of getting to know these young men over the next two years . . . learning about their lives and sharing ours.

(Having G, G, and A around reminded me of our time with Masood. I missed all of you and Grandmom Brown yesterday as I was remembering our family dinners with him. That seems like eons ago!)

PS . . . precision seemed to be very important when playing Bocce with engineering and computer science minded people! I don't think we've ever brought out the measuring tape before . . . :)

cheraw

2009-11-27T08:02:00.007-05:00

Thanksgiving in Cheraw . . . . . . thank you, Family, for sharing your time . . . my heart was blessed by all the laughter and catching up on life's happenings; and for the delicious food! I enoyed it all! Unfortunately, I didn't get too many pictures . . . and not a single "whole family" shot . . . what was I thinking?

Birthday Boy!

2009-11-18T06:35:00.002-05:00

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Liam, birthday boy, Happy birthday to you!

Love you oodles . . . hope you have a terrific time today as you celebrate your birthday today and tomorrow. Can't wait to hear about your bowling trip. Hope that your birthday cake is really yummy, too!

Heart Tickles ~ a new blog

2009-11-03T18:14:00.002-05:00

Hey family,
I set up a blog for the young chickadees in the family. Privacy blocks have been placed on the blog so that the environment will be more secure and safe for their use. I sent you invitations to be readers and/or authors for this blog. So, if you've received a "Heart Tickles" blog email, please click on the links to activate your status.

This will be a great way for Charlotte, and to some extent Liam and Josiah, and eventually Bella and Alistair, and then . . . . :) to be technologically savvy and share the activities of their days with us. My thought is that we can read their posts and respond to the information as well as ask questions. The last time we skyped, Liam and Charlotte were tickled at sharing a muffin joke with us. (hehehe) So, we can share jokes along the way.

Several posts with comments have already been made. It was a delight to read what Charlotte wrote. It truly was/is a "heart tickle" for me! There's also a Thanksgiving dinner poll for you to take. So hurry to the blog and enjoy.

Hoping that you'll find some time to participate with us ~
Love to all of you~

Snaggle

2009-10-14T21:22:00.002-04:00

"Charlotte had a loose tooth,
A wiggly, jiggly loose tooth.
Charlotte had a loose tooth a hangin' by a thread . . .

If you get the chance, Skype the girl to see her snaggle-smile!
:)

2009-10-03T19:49:00.009-04:00

Gorgeous Fall day and so much accomplished . . . chores & fun. Groceries, Bible study prep, mulching flower beds, a stroll through Plow & Hearth and REI, a sidewalk table at North Hills for lunch with Pops @ Five Guys, sharing REAL f-fries! Inside and out. Spent some time up at our high school in the late afternoon . . . enjoying a huge band competition . . . I LOVE DRUM CADENCES!

My memories floated to a galaxy far, far away . . . to another time when drum candences were a thrill . . . as well as to fun September/October nights watching the Tribe! Go, Rachel, go!

Putt-putting

2009-09-19T06:35:00.004-04:00

We tried out a new putt-putt course this year . . . complete with a practice putting green at the beginning . . . . . . and pirate cannons on which to play! Pops and I get to keep the dust off of the "championship of the world" trophy for the coming year . . . the boys said that it was their birthday present to Pops. But . . . our game-winning strategy? Take 'em to Sugar Creek (known as RV's to the family) and fill up their tummies with supper . . . and then go play the game!!

Good Day

2009-09-18T16:02:00.002-04:00

Fun day from morning til afternoon . . . beautiful sunrise, playing on the beach, watching surfers, naps in the hammock, hearing of the successes of the AK pirates, and Pops' birthday!

Good Morning

2009-09-18T07:49:00.002-04:00

For Nana Jane

2009-09-17T14:35:00.010-04:00

Hi Mom,
All is quiet here at the house. The girls have scooted off to Manteo for a treat; Bill is running over to the grocery store; A2 & A3 are off on an errand; and I volunteered to stay here at the house as the kiddos are taking naps. The morning started off with a walk down to the playground and then onto the boardwalks to feed the ducks. Shallowbag Bay Bill showed up around 10:00ish to see if the parrots had been rescued . . . and the treasure hunt began. Part of the hunt took us to an island in the middle of the sound to shoot the pirate ship "cannon" (water balloons). The matey on shore had to make sure that at least 5 volleys didn't touch the ground. Andrew was great . . . and Adam, Connie, and Amanda were fantastic shots! Of course, as always, bridge jumping had to be included . . . Josiah was chompin' at the bit to be a part of the gang going over the railings!! He absolutely loves the water!

We checked the blog to see if our AK pirates had noted that there was a treasure hunt a-brewin' in Wasilla; and by the comment posting, figured that they know something is up.

The weather is great . . . just warm enough . . . but a little windy. It's fine though . . . the water is ALWAYS beautiful. The hot tub is perfect!

Thought you'd enjoy seeing some pics from the morning. Much love to you~

!

b

A Walk in the Park

2009-09-07T13:35:00.005-04:00

Pops and I had a date this morning . . . the temps dropped a wee bit, and we thought it would be really pleasant to take our walk outside rather than inside today.

A long time ago, after we first moved to WF, I spotted my "daydream" piece of land. Can you guess where this property is? You've seen it hundreds of times. Think hammock & cows!

WF has turned our cow pasture into a park with 3 miles of walking/bike paths all over its 100+ acres (Phase I). Joyner Park is beautiful! It would be really fun to have a family picnic there one day.