Weekend is Over

Here's a photo of Morgan Allen at her bridal luncheon this past Saturday. I kept busy by making the "bow bouquet" for her as she opened her gifts. Debra, Ruby and Jessica planned the event.
I am an ox. I have trimmed all the hedge going down to the pool and now am attacking the sidewalk. It looks terrific and is a great workout too.
I went to the workcamp "boathouse" for the first time yesterday. One of the residents had a shovel that had gotten mixed up in our "stuff" in the boathouse. I can't believe how our folks got all those walls and materials stacked in that tight space! It's amazing to see!
JR's birhday is this coming Friday. Al and I have some special books for him. I am looking at maybe going to Fort Story overnight for a girls nite the next weekend for my bday. We'll see.
The acorns continue to fall and the hummingbirds continue to stay.

Step By Step

(Brother John at Tabernacle Methodist Church - we love our little church!)

John is getting a lot of preaching and teaching in lately. Of course, we are at our little church in Carson on the first & third Sundays. There is a church in Hopewell that is going thru a lot of changes, and JR has been speaking there on the other Sundays. Basically, he's speaking EVERY Sunday.

Allie began her Catholic conversion classes Wednesday nite at Our Lady Of Lourdes. She is so happy and loves the folks there. She loves her classes and professors this semester also. Never thot she would end up a Religious Studies major! She & her dad are two peas in a pod!

I am loving working in the yard and painting. I have the kitchen about 1/4 painted, but it involves cleaning as I go....the CRUD behind the refrigerator.....AGHHHHHHHHHH!!

The acorns have begun falling. I hear them bouncing off the deck all day. Little squirrels are gathering their stash for the winter.

Tomorrow at 11am is a briday luncheon for Morgan Allen at Gregory Presbyterian. Going out later to get a gift. Each person attending is bringing a recipe card with their favorite on it. Most of u know that is a challenge for me!

Can't find my key to the boathouse!!!!!!!

Ups & Downs

So our little Will is 12 years old. He's still spry and playful and we love him to death!
I am beginning the challenge of painting the kitchen today. One room at a time is my goal. It really is fun to focus on "our nest".
The workcamp insurance auditor came yesterday. Glad he did...answered some questions also for next year.
My longtime neighbor, Debbie Daniel and I headed to Donk's this past Saturday. It was a terrific show! Getting back at midnite tho was a lot for us old ladies!
The "pool guy" was here again yesterday....one of the gears broke on the pump and he will be back today to fix.
I ordered John some books from amazon for his birthday coming up on Sept 4th. He is really fascinated in meshing quantum physics and theology.....it makes me yawn and nod. I know he'll love the books.
Hope to weedwhack some today also! LOVE IT! I love this lull, but am also excited to begin WORKCAMP 2010!

Oh Baby!

(Lindsay & Matt heading in to their baby shower at the clubhouse in Walden Lake, Midlothian)
(Lois & John admire newest little baby in the church, Olivia)

Babies are everywhere! This past Sunday, Amanda Pecht brought her new little OLIVIA to church for us to ooh and ahh over. Amanda is so tiny....Olivia is SO LONG!!!

Then the same afternoon, I met Drew & Allie in Midlothian for Lindsay & Matt's baby shower. The received oodles of great gifts....and it was so much fun to see many of our workcamp buddies! Lindsay originally was due on my bday, but now the docs are saying Sept 4th.

The day before, Allie & Drew returned from their week with the MURPHY clan in Nags Head. The Scudders had come over to swim and sit by the fire by the pool and Ben brought his new girlfriend, Jennifer. When Al found out they were down, she and Drew made a beeline down so they could meet Jennifer. It was terrific having everybody here. I taught Ellen Rose the rest of the Lord's Prayer in sign language so she could lead the children from Camp Kehukee in a performance for their worship service .

I finished painting the middle room. There is fresh carpet in the room. Now today I want to finish repairing the popcorn ceiling. Cross your fingers!

Took Alicia to a doctors appointment in Richmond. There was a hitch, so she needs to have some outpatient surgery later this month. All is well tho.

Al has connected with Our Lady of Lourdes and our "workcamp buddies" from the congregation. She begins confirmation classes on Sunday! Yay! They will be married there. Now I am looking up venues for a reception near the church. Al and I are having fun browsing the internet on wedding plans. We hope to have a small engagement party near the end of October.

Al begins classes at VCU today..

I'm having fun connecting with old high school friends on Facebook. Our 40th reunion in Gloucester is next year!

John is even on facebook now. He is hoping to connect with old buddies also.

Had breakfast at THE YANKEE yesterday with Al & Drew and then on to errands.

Just A Tidbit

(Allie & Drew were given these buttons at Disney)

Painted half of the center room in the house.....really looks good, but these high ceilings are gonna be a blister! New carpet remnant in that room also....woo hoo!

Things Are A Little Slower

(I love this photo of Allie at THE SEA in EPCOT)

Things have slowed down just a little around here. It's good to be home and taking care of the "nest". You know the old saying "the cobbler's children have no shoes". Well, the workcamp director's house needs painting! JR and I are planning on starting the interior painting today or tomorrow.

Allie and Drew will be in Nags Head until Saturday. I miss them after spending so much time with them in Florida.

Alicia is directing a small children's camp out at CAMP KEHUKEE this week. I went out there to help out last nite. We did some music and energizers. Then Jason the Juggler/Magician was there. I was checking him out for workcamp, but I believe the teens would eat him alive! He is funny....so corny that it's funny!

Shopping for a gift for Lindsay & Matt's baby. Allie and I are going to a shower on Sunday afternoon. Can't wait to see Lindsay pregnant. She has been studying at Notre Dame all summer, so this will be the first time we get to see her! Erica Balmer Hanchey is going to be induced on Sunday if her little one doesn't start making his way into the world in Texas.

I am avoiding working on the final financial balancing for workcamp and also procrastinating going into the warehouse to search for a couple of missing tools. Ugh!

JR's son in law, John Crowder is recovering from a surprise quadruple bypass surgery. We are very thankful!'

I drove to Newport News last Friday for Mrs. Lilley's funeral service. Then I swung by the Plott's in Toano to return Glenn's robe that JR had borrowed for the wedding he did in June. Hope they have fun with the rice cooker we got them !

We're making plans to go down to the Hickory Community Theater in October. Edyth is directing the SOUND OF MUSIC & it also looks like Cassidy will be playing the part of Marta. Gotta see it!

Debbie D (across the street) and her grandaughter Bri came over to swim yesterday. Can't believe how much that little girl has grown....

We may head down to Donk's next Saturday also....last show before the school year begins.

Already have typed out a timeline for the wedding planning....SO MUCH FUN AHEAD for me and my girl!

A Magical Time!

(Our first day in the Magic Kingdom....Belle & The Beast in the parade!)

OK...so much for writing and sharing photos. After taking care of some loose ends for workcamp, time went by and we were on the plane to Orlando this past Sunday! We took the Magic Express from the airport to stay at the Disney Caribbean Beach Resort. Sounds exotic, but was actually a basic room. How fun was it? We crammed as much as we could in to four days and four different parks.

After we arrived on Sunday we were off to the Magic Kingdom. There were Pirates of the Caribbean, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, It's a Small World, Cinderella's MerryGoRound, the teacups, Snow White's Adventure, the Carosel of Progress, and then the evening fireworks while we rode the shuttle back to the hotel.

Monday was the Animal Kingdom. It was hot, crowded and a reminder not to come to Florida in August. We endured tho and even loved the afternoon thunderstorm. We saw a Bug's Life in the Tree of Life, Dinosaurs, Elmo's broadway show, the gorilla's exhibit, and lots of FOOD! We bought special bride & groom mouse ears for our special couple too! The Himalaya roller coaster was the best I have EVER ridden in my 56 years!

Tuesday was EPCOT. Again, hot and tough to do in one day, but we did! As we watched the production of lights on the lagoon that evening, a tree frog jumped and attached itself to the side of the cup Allie was drinking out of. We saw everything that day from O Canada to the Chinese acrobats. And of course, SOARIN'! Another thunderstorm and we were soaked....but happy and exhausted.

Our final day, Wednesday, was Disney Hollywood Studios with everything from Star Wars to the Tower of Terror. It was Drew's birthday, so Goofy called him to wake him up that morning. At 3:30pm we headed out of the park and to the Magic Express to the airport.

Alicia and Ellen met us at the airport in Richmond. The magic subsided and we were back to normal life. Allie and Drew are packing for Nags Head with the Murphys. I headed to Newport News to represent the family at Mrs. Lilley's funeral...Grover's mother.

It was a whirlwind visit. I can't believe we saw as much as we did in four days. It was such an American, polyester, decadent four days, but boy did we have fun!