Just Some Tidbits!

- We now have HEAT!!! Yep, the pump finally came in and we are living like normal people.....the house is
warm and we have shed layers of clothes!
- It's back to the YMCA for Alicia and I .....gonna do it! Gotta get in better shape for this summer!
- JR just had a good report on his physical at the doc...he's working on a really good sermon for Sunday!
- No more science classes for AL! She passed the PHYSICS exam and is DONE with science!
- My search for residents is on for the summer.....I am meeting some interesting people for the teens to be
spending time with....I love this part of getting ready!
- Looking up flights, etc....in August me, Jeff, Al and Drew are planning to cross the pond and spend some
time in London....think Al and Drew will take a little side trip to Ireland....and of course, we'll all go to Paris...
ANYONE HAVE ANY FLIGHT MILES THEY WANT TO DONATE??
- I'm still driving a little rental KIA.....the van should be ready by Monday...I miss my big TANK!
WORKCAMP:
I am loving this FACEBOOK thing....have over 850 some workcampers from the past 21 years all linking together. It is SO neat! I'm hearing from "kids" from years ago that now have families of their own.
Getting ready to order the rubber ID bracelets for this summer....they'll be orange this time!

Good Family

I awoke this morning ready to chomp out a lot today.....only to find that it was MLK day and my major points of encounter were closed! I did visit a new resident and assess her house for this summer and then headed to UKROP'S to get some eats for us and for Al's apartment. Allie and I spent a little time at her apartment, but I was so task oriented that I literally was making her crazy! She was trying to regroup after expending a lot of energy this weekend and needed to just veg out.....She is pretty amazing at juggling this endometriosis and all of the side effects of the meds she has to take! I am so proud of her....especially the person she has grown to be. She is so beautiful and doesn't have a clue she is!

This past weekend....it was a hoot! We went to Horsepasture (Martinsville) VA to see relatives that we hadn't seen in couple of years.....some we hadn't seen in 10 years!! It was kind of a Morton get together without a funeral....that's usually when we get to see each other! There was lots of good food and chatter....it was freezing outside, so we ALL HUNG OUT IN THE BASEMENT and swapped stories.

Tomorrow I will spend the day recording the inauguration.....Ben Scudder will be marching in the parade playing the bagpipes with VMI!

It's supposed to snow/sleet tonight!

Guess who is joining us at WORKCAMP 2009 both weeks this summer....RIDGEWAY ADDISON!!!!

What A WEEK!!!!

( Jeff, Lynda, Deanna & Uncle Jimmie in the receiving line at Cham Laughlin's Memorial service)

(Jessica Bailey Mauger & mom, Debra at the big baby shower)

Boy has this been a roller coaster ride the past few days! Life, death....u name it! First of all, the van is being fixed. Long story, but I caused an accident last Friday. It was my fault, but thank God, I didn't get a ticket. It happened on Crater Road in front of the bank...had to tow the van because the bumper was ripped off. Anyway, it's all good. It's being repaired. Nobody hurt. Just feel really stupid!

Saturday was so up and down. First there was a baby shower for Jessica Bailey (Mauger) held at Gregory Memorial Presbyterian Church. She got lots of loot and it was good to see everyone!

I left the shower about midway to go to Cham Laughlin's memorial service. The place was packed. They had 6 of his friends singing accapella....it was beautiful! Jeffrey, Deanna, Lynda and Uncle Jimmie were there too.

Drew is back at Hampden-Sydney and Al is back in class at VCU. She's feeling really good!

WORKCAMP:

- Pete Adler is taking a group to Galveston in February to help with hurricane relief....he's got a group of 10

- Both workcamps are full to the brim with waiting lists...

THE WOODSTOVE IS PULSATING!

(Ellie & Caroline in Tennessee with their new Christmas kitty, LILLY)

Much, much, much is happening! The woodstove is really cranked high because our heating system needed some repairs. It should be completed by Wednesday!

I started back at the Y this week doing about 50 minutes of cardio in the pool. Gotta get with it before the summer camps start! I do not want to be the "sweaty beast" again this year!

Had lunch in Chester with Drew and Al yesterday...it was good to see them!

Our dear, dear friend CHAM LAUGHLIN passed away yesterday morning of colon cancer. Jeffrey called me and was quite stunned. We never imagined it happening so quickly.....the memorial service is Saturday.

Jessica Bailey Mauger's baby shower is Saturday also, so Allie and I will be juggling our time.

BOTH WORKCAMPS ARE FULL.....no more room for any more campers!

This past Friday evening, Alicia, Ellen and Jan (Drew's Mom) and I all met at Al's apartment to watch MAMA MIA together! We had the version with the lyrics running along the bottom of the screen, so we were loud!

John had an excellant sermon for New Years this past Sunday and of course, there was lunch at the church!

Tim called from ENGLAND! It was so good to hear his voice!

Happy New Year!

(This is a photo of brothers Jon David & Jeffrey at Brienne's wedding reception)

I traveled down to Newport News on Sunday the 28th for Brienne's wedding by myself. Allie was totally exhausted and still experiencing some of the side effects of her shot. The wedding was in a small church near Yorktown and was precious. The church was packed. After the ceremony, everyone made their way to the Newport News City Park where the cars were treated to driving through the park's Celebration Of Lights. A shuttle from a parking lot carried guests to the reception at The Pavilion near the golf course. I opted to say my goodbyes before the reception and began my game of "dodge the deer" on my trip home.

New Years Eve came and went quietly. It's been a wonderfully quiet few days to sort of regroup and prepare for the tsunami of workcamp registrations that will be at the post office today. This is always an exciting time for workcamp. I have the feeling that the camps may both be full by this evening.

Ups and Downs....Mostly Ups!

Christmas eve service at Tabernacle was small and intimate.....and a wonderful way to begin Christmas. Allie sang beautifully while the candles were lit. Afterwards everyone shared laughter and food in the fellowship hall.
Christmas Day was SO quiet, but we expected that. And it was a good thing. Allie's shot effects really kicked in and it was like she had had chemo. We spent the day lounging and watching MAMA MIA and other videos, but she really began hurting later in the afternoon, early evening. After dealing with the side effects she fell asleep and rested for over 12 hours......
Next day....she was MUCH better! I had jumped up early to head to my favorite place, (not!) WALMART to get all the final necessary food items for preparing our big meal the next day. Al left to go to the Murphys....and she returned early evening with Drew. Jeffrey had postponed his arrival until the next morning.
Al andI began a cooking show that no one could match. Drew filmed a little. We baked a Chiffon Pumpkin Pie and a Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding . Spumonte and cooking and then bed.
Turkey was in the oven at 7am along with the yeast rolls rising. Jeff, Jon, Elaine, Jennifer and Eliz arrived about 11am.
We had lots of food and giggles and stories. *!%*! lava lamps that I bought for the nieces were lemons...gotta take them back!
Jeff had to leave at 1pm to head down to Seaford for the wedding rehearsal. Drew and Al had to leave at 3pm to head to Epiphany in Richmond for a baby christening.....Drew was the godfather. The rest of the gang left about 4pm. I layed across my bed and the next thing I knew John was telling me it was 6pm....WHEW!
I layed like a slug on the couch and watched the repeat of the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics in Bejing. I'm conserving my energy. Lots of travel, fun, relatives and more food tomorrow at the wedding!
Allie is really pushing herself.....I'm trying not to be a crazy mom!

TODAY IS WHAAAAAAAT?????

I just cannot believe that today is Christmas Eve.....I don't think I have ever been so unprepared! I hope this isn't an age thing.....that's it's just an up and down year!!! Guess the easiest way to catch up is to go backwards.
Last nite Drew and Al came down from Richmond to go to a neighborhood gathering with us....after a short evening of drinking and eating, we drove thru the Wood's Family Christmas lights.....yep, it's over a couple of acres of tacky lights that you can drive through....and it's just around the corner!
Al is feeling much better....so thankful! She will be home this afternoon. Drew is going to be with his family at Epiphany. Allie is going with her dad and I to Tabernacle for our Christmas Eve service at 5pm.
I went to look at a couple more houses for summer workcamp and after visiting one, I just had to pull over on the road and compose myself......It's a long story, so I will write about it after the holidays.
JR was blowing leaves off the pool (while no one was home) , and he said the next thing he knew he was under water! His work boots filled quickly and he had on heavy clothes. He was under the pool tarp in the deep end . He came up once more for a gulp of air and tried making his way to the shallow end....hitting his head on the pool steps. He had a colorful shinner on his left eye for a few days. I took him to get an xray on his swollen wrist, but all is well. The church folks are relentless with teasing tho. They want to sign him up for a certificate in the POLAR BEAR CLUB! John beat them to the punch on Sunday. As he stood up to announce the first hymn, he had on a pair of Al's swim goggles......the whole church roared!
Our Christmas day will be quiet. Jeff, Jon & family will come the 27th for a day of presents and eating. Then Jeff heads off to a wedding rehearsal and Allie and Drew head to a baby baptism at Epiphany. Drew is the godfather, so he is quite nervous because he has to carry the baby down the aisle during the ceremony. Everyone is telling him to hold the kid like a football under his arm!
Sunday we will all travel to Newport News for Brienne's wedding....
So the celebrations for us are delayed a couple of days. We will miss Paige , Grover and the gang now that Christy has moved to Tennessee. We hope to catch up with them on Jan 7th.
We'll head to Martinsville....I MEAN EVERYBODY.....on Jan 17th for food and fun at Aunt Janet's. We haven't see all our cousins from up there in quite a while!
P.S. Thank God for our woodstove!!