This photo is of Paige, Caroline & Ellie at Christmas 2007. Of course the girls are a lot bigger now & living in Tennessee, but I wanted to put up a photo of Paige since I saw her this past week. Allie & I met her in Wmburg at the Blue Talon for lunch. That seems to be a bday tradition for us. It was so good.
Allie & I went in a couple of outlet stores and found a couple of Christmas bargains and then headed home.
Now the push begins for WORKCAMP 2010. I plan to go to Rainbow Books this week to listen to music for possible theme songs for next summer. Need to submit paperwork for using the Colonial Heights Middle School next year also. We have a big WRAP-UP meeting at our house the last Sunday in October. It is a working meeting, but it is also like a little mini reunion of all the staff and key people.
I went to Sacred Heart to mass with Allie on Saturday nite. Good music....good service. They are having their fall festival....even had helicopter rides!
The pool is looking really good. The mums that Alicia gave me for my bday look terrific at the end of the diving board....yellow & bright. I hate to cover the pool!
Well....it's Monday....back to work!

Baby, Baby, Baby!

Yes, he is only 5 days old! Quite a little bruiser. Liam Patrick Spears is Sally Driscoll's new grandson and the son of Matt Spears & Lindsay Driscoll-Spears. Allie and I skipped up to Midlothian and had lunch with Sally at a little cafe and then went over to visit Liam & his mom and dad. There are more photos on my facebook page.

As the weather cools, we are deciding when to close down the pool....my vote, is in October. I love looking at it and going down there in the evenings with the firepit.

Go Royals!

We hadn't been to a PG football game since Al was there. Ellen was in the marching band so we went to keep Alicia company. Miracle of miracles, we won the game against Thomas Jefferson High School of Richmond! I remember Allie's senior year, the team never won a game. It was fun, but nostalgic. We knew none of the parents and very few in the crowd. Of course, Ms Joy was there with her confetti and Marie Hawks in the ticket booth!

That's Life!

I spent most of yesterday at Johnston-Willis Medical Center with my friend Sally Driscoll. Her daughter & son-in-law, Lindsay & Matt were there to have their first child. It turned into a LONG ordeal.....I got a text from Sally this morning. Lindsay had a C-section at 4:45am....little William Patrick Spears weighed in at 9lbs 3oz.

John says he's a LINEBACKER!

We also got word that John's 91 year old step mom, Grandma Harriet, has breast cancer.

Fort Story & Friends

John's brother, Buzzy, is working in Richmond for a couple of weeks for his company, so he came down and visited on Wednesday evening. We built a fire in the pit and sat by the pool. It was so good to see him. He is coming back this coming Wednesday for a cookout.

I went with Allie to acupuncture on Thursday.....it was difficult.

We packed up early Saturday morning and headed to Fort Story with Alicia and Ellen for a Birthday time away. We stayed at the inn on the base, and the beach was basically ours. We sat in the sand til after 10pm....there were even fireworks across the bay.

The next morn we checked out the lighthouses and headed down to Virginia Beach for a little bit.

Great girls weekend! It was good to laugh. For more photos look at my facebook page.

Log Cabin , Knitting & Pansies

It's raining....rained yesterday. I hope it finishes before this weekend. I booked a log cabin at Fort Story for a girls nite this weekend for my birthday. I truly can't remember the last time I was at the beach. A quiet beach and friends....yep, that's the best!

During the holiday weekend Allie & I planted pansies. Allie started loom knitting and is going to town on it. She pulled me into it too. We got the idea from Ellen Rose .

Alicia's surgery went well. She's been a little tired, but up and going!

We started watching the HBO series "Six Feet Under". Think it's going to be good. JR & I finished all the SOPRANOS last year.

I heard that Walnut Hill Baptist Church is closing it's doors in six months.....that makes me very sad.

Waiting for Lindsay & Matt to have their baby.

I am really loving this down time before the rush of workcamp begins again. I've just about finished tallying the finances...now to go thru the paper files and get ready to clean them out and get ready for 2010. People are already calling and asking about the dates.

JR continues to preach every Sunday. We had Tabernacle this past weekend. Love that little church. We had lunch together afterwards. I was tickled because Lois noticed my weight loss.

Al & I did a little Labor Day shopping yesterday. Can't remember the last time we went shopping together.

Jerry finished installing new lattice around the bottom of the deck and it looks so much better. Hurrican Isabel took it down, so u can see how long we have left it in shambles! I installed new solar lites going down the sidewalk to the pool too.

Lots of birthdays this month. Next week is Kemps & then Sheila's.

I am like a squirrel running around here. I know it's because of my change in eating habits and weight loss. Who knew that I was diabetic! I feel so much better (didn't know I was feeling that bad!) and have so much energy! I am loving it!

Rookie Driver Of The Year & JR's BDAY!

FIRST OF ALL....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR JOHN!!!!!!! He received lots of phone calls and cards...he giggles like his sister Gracie on the phone!

I made a surprise trip to Newport News this past Wednesday. As you can see from the photo of the crowd, it was for a big deal! Jeffrey was awarded Rookie Of The Year - best school bus driver for the City of Newport News employed by them for under five years. They kept me hidden in the back of the auditorium until he went on stage to accept his award. He was shocked....both that he got the award and that I had surprised him.

When he competed in Roanoke at the state level, his administrators talked with cousin Susan and told him he was receiving the award. So........I went down & represented the family.

He is such a special brother. He drives the bus with special needs children and this year, he is called to a big challenge. In the afternoons he drives the middle schoolers and high schooler to class. In the morning tho, he will be driving 5 special needs pre-schoolers to and from their school. They are called "PEEPS". He has to carry each of them onto the bus.....none of them are over 4 years old. He was scheduled to meet their parents today. I am so proud of my brother and the kind of person he is!