Congratulations to Arlene & Vinny on their 'upcoming' Dec. 10th Marriage Celebration

On Saturday Lynn, Britt and I traveled to Brooksville to join in the Wedding Shower for Arlene.

First there was a family meeting in the parking lot of International Mall so that

Pops could see the 'boys'

 as Chad met us there to pick them up.

                 A few footballs were tossed before leaving....

Family meeting at International Mall Parking Area

Chad was their 'chosen' sitter for the day.

Uncle Doo Doo and Dylan & Joshua....ready to have FUN!

Chad did a wonderful job even texting us pictures

of their visit to the 'Navy Ship' at Channelside.....

Joshua  enjoyed the ship's history....

Cousins, Britt & Carla, greet each other with Love.....always!

They are truly 'sisters-of-the-heart'....

This was a very appropriate statement for the 'groom' ....

A picture tells a thousand words

Fun Game.....Toilet Paper Brides :)

Britt as a 'toilet paper' bride...

See this huge truck?  

I asked Carla how she drove this thing as her means of transportation.

Sassily she said, "Drove it like I stole it!"  

Arlene in center, with some of the family members

who so graciously presented this first-class, fun

'get to know you' shower. 

Arlene's Mom, Chrissy, with Faith, Britt, Lynn & Carla

Our Prayer,

Thank You

"Lord, I can't thank You enough for the "sweet chaos" of my family but I will spend the rest of my life trying!"

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Guilty As Charged......

There is an old book that I refer to from time to time because its wisdom is.......timeless.
It is called “Acres of Diamonds” by Russell Conwell.
In one section he speaks of “Greatness” with these words,
“Did you ever see a man who struts around altogether too large to notice an ordinary working mechanic? He is nothing but a puffed-up balloon, held down by his big feet.
THERE IS NO GREATNESS THERE.......”.........And.......

“Some people think they are going to be made GREAT by a certain position title or job, but remember.....if you are NOT GREAT BEFORE you get the
position or title....you won’t be GREAT when you secure it!”

I recently reread an essay that was written by a little 10-year-old boy.
He chose to write about......Abraham Lincoln
This is what he wrote:
“I think Lincoln was great.
He was very honest and knew what everybody needed and wanted because he grew up around and with the average poor family.
He could have grown up to be real stupid, but he forced himself to study his books and become someone.
Once he became President, he wanted ALL men to be equal.
He wanted the country to be one strong land,
Not a strong North or a strong South.
The thing I like about Abraham Lincoln is that he set goals for himself to become a great man........when he was just a boy”

Simple isn’t it?
Yes, Abraham Lincoln was..... Guilty of being.....GREAT!

He Walked His Talk :)

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking.
Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.
And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Steve Jobs 1955-2011, Co-Founder of Apple Computer

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Blessings on 'Single Parenthood'......means Trusting God daily :)

Two of the BEST in our family who really 'inspire' me is Britt & Chuck aka: Pipo....
Watching these two in action with their 'youngens' make me Proud!
........Being a past 'military wife', I know what the challenges are of 'single parenting' even while married.
My heart and prayers go out to these little families of LOVE!
          Psalm 84:12....."Happy is everyone who trusts in YOU!"

Celebrating Matt & Ash (click on pic to enlarge)

Twins, Eli & Jude visit..Daddy Matt brings them by on his 'day off'....Sister, Britt, came by as well...Yep, we had our "baby fix"!

Joy Child, Britt and Mother  of two boys, 10 yr. old Joshua &  5 yr. old Dylan....

                    Eli helping MaMa on her laptop

                          Digging into Tia Britt's purse

Britt is their favorite entertainer....she makes them laugh...

Dad is sending Mom a photo of the boys on his phone

The boys are growing FAST....They are blessed....and are a blessing to our family...

                                              

Gift for Joshua

The U.S. Air Force's own Afterburner performing at Monster Jam in Las Vegas

Gina and her 'Howie' have close ties to the Monster Truck Events

When we were visiting in West Virginia,

Gina was so kind as to send a Monster Jam shirt to Joshua.

He was thrilled!!!!

Thanks Gina, for making our 10 yr. old ecstatic!!!

Actually we should have had Howie sign it since he is

the 'hero' for Monster Jam in your family...and now ours...

Next time!

Kids don't care if you're old....only if you're FUN!

"Maria Sanchez lived in a low-income housing community where older adults resided alongside younger adults with disabilities, and families with small children.
When she first moved there, she was afraid that the noise and activity of the children would be too much for her.  But over time, as her friendship with Billy grew, she noticed that her arthritis pained her the least on the days she spent a lot of time with him."

80 year old Maria tells us this in her own words...
"When I get to feeling blue, my neighbor boy Billy is the best company there is.
He's five.
We sit out on the curb and play with the ants.
We don't kill them, we just give them a little trouble getting back to their nest.
We pile up twigs, or put a big shoe in the way.
Billy always knows how I'm feeling, without my saying a word.
He doesn't notice I'm an old lady, except for when it's time to get me back on my feet.
Then it's a real production.
First, I have to roll over onto the grass.
Once I get myself onto my hands and knees, he helps me haul myself up the rest of the way.
I moan and groan and put on a good show.
He thinks it's great!
By that time, I'm usually feeling pretty great, too."

Home Sweet Home

Britt and nephew, Kason, ....look at the 'matching eyes'....

 Arriving home in mid-afternoon after 2 weeks 'on the road' vacations, back to back, soon gave us a
'dose of reality'.  Our girls, our 'Babydolls', Britt & Carla, as we call them....arrived a few hours later with their three 'hearts delight' boys, Kason with Carla and Britt with Joshua & Dylan...

 Kason shows me his 'Angry Birds' game on his Mom's iPad2.....

then the fun began (I just started playing this silly, aggrivating, frustrating game as well)

 

Joshua begins to 'tutor' MaMa with his 'superior skills'....adding a few helpful tips that work!

Five year old, Dylan, gets his Mom's iPhone and begins to play the Rio version of 'Angry Birds' and I really liked that one....

He would hug me tight when he hit 'level succeed' and we would shout for joy together...

"Never too late to have a HAPPY childhood".....again!

Meanwhile, our dear Carla, was doing what she does EVERY time she comes to my house!
Clean and clean and clean.....going behind the children 'cleaning up their mess and ours as well'....
Carla, Babydoll, you are certainly the busiest, cleaner in all our family....
We could take some lessons from you...Thank you for ALL you do for EVERYONE!

Two iPhones, two iPad2's and 4 games of 'Angry Birds'....
Britt is a 'pro' ....her boys give competition and 4 yr. old Kason, knows how to 'order apps on-line'.....
All this while Carla is cleaning, I'm taking pictures and being 'cheer leader' and Pops trying to tune
everyone out, finally going to his 'football room' to escape the craZiness of silly fun that we were all having together....Our 'Welcome Home' from the Family begins....and ends with LOVE!

Prayer is the Best Wireless connection!


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Back Home and Enjoying Our 'Florida Vacation'

Annie P. 'fusses' at me when I try to help her with her lobster bib....

Bikers galore down the street from our condos

Having 'fun' in the tree house....

Pat leaving the Lobster Shanty, one of our favorite seafood feasts eatery

Sebastian Inlet Fishing pier

Sam questions Dockie & Charlie, "Which boat is faster?"



Magnificent Sunset....We are blessed!

Wonderful Trip to West Virginia and Atlantic City

 We traveled with Walker & Pat to Princeton, WV for WW's 50th class reunion.
Visiting in the home of their friends, Thressa & Orville, was a blessing we will long remember...
They took us, as strangers, into their home, heart and family.
Sharing their children, grandchildren and 'Star Family Member', 93 yr. old Granny was such a delight for Charlie and I....
Granny was a 'trip' and my kind of person...she and I almost got in trouble together we had so much fun....and that was 'in church'!

The 'It Is A Good Life' Gang!

The famous, "Granny" with Great-Grandson, Chase.
Chase brought his guitar and sang for us, even Elvis, which Charlie loved.
He has great talent and  blessed us with it......

Thressa's daughter, Gina, and her 'entitled' Misty...
Gina was a real blessing to us...and others as well.

Charlie, a 'fan' of  'the man'....

That Granny (remember she is 93 yrs. old) went to bingo and WON a huge Jackpot.
She wouldn't let anyone count it but Walker...
Granny is a 'Winner' in more ways than one...
I fell in love with her:)

Granny with her winning bingo cards and CASH!!!!

Nature's Beauty is everywhere here...especially in their home..

Beautiful Heather with her two daughters, 2 yr. old, Dhestyn Rain and baby, Saeghyn Skyh.
Children are the 'heart' of life for all of us...

Granny reminded me so much of my own Mom....She is so 'youthful' in her attitude of life and
a blessing to this family....Pat & I enjoyed her so much...


 God's Paint Box

This church in Bramwell, home of many Millionaire Coal Barons, expresses my own sentiments
that faith in a town, family or home....is where the real value exists, that being things of the heart which 'money can not buy'.....This was where we found 'real gold' in the heart of the Family and
Thressa and Gina's church who welcomed us with open arms.

                                       Thank you to all of you who made our visit

                                               a lifetime memory of LOVE!

 

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To My Many Friends....I LOVE You!

Reading from a book called, "What's Worth Knowing" by Wendy Lustbader,
one article caught my eye, and heart.
Written from an 89 yr. old, John Caughlan' s philosophy of life view, John said this,

 "Good fortune is having good friends!
Your family is stuck with you.
After you get married, your wife or husband is stuck with you, too.
But friends are free to come and go.
The ones who stay by your side becomes your treasures.
They just plain like you.
I'm proud of certain things I've done in my life, certain accomplishments.
But look at my friends.
You can't just go out and acquire them.
You make them!
Years  go by, and you go through hard times together.
It takes some doing.
I look around and see how lucky I am to have such fine people in my life and
I thank God for them."

Dag Hammarskjold, former head of the United Nations, once said,
........" ' To everything that has been, I say 'Thank you.'
.........' To everything before me, I say, 'Yes!' "



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